Ptilotus aphyllus


Ptilotus aphyllus is a species of flowering plant in the family Amaranthaceae and is endemic to the a small area of inland Western Australia. It is a leafless perennial, except when young, and spikes of purple flowers fading to pink and pale orange.

Description

Ptilotus aphyllus is a shrubby perennial with many slender branches that typically grows up to high and wide. Young plants have egg-shaped to linear leaves long and wide, older plants have leafless, rush-like stems. The flowers are borne in spikes of up to 15, wide on a hairy rachis. There are hairy bracts long and hairy bracteoles long and long at the base of the flowers. The tepals are purple, fading to pink and pale orange, the outer tepals long and the inner tepals long. There are five fertile stamens and the ovary is hairy. Flowering occurs from March to May.

Taxonomy

Ptilotus aphyllus was first formally described in 1980 by Gerhard Benl in the journal Nuytsia from specimens collected by Alex George north of Mundiwindi in 1962. The specific epithet means 'without leaves'.

Distribution and habitat

This species of Ptilotus grows in red sand soils on sand dunes mainly along the western edge of the Great Sandy Desert and in the Gascoyne and Pilbara bioregions of inland Western Australia.

Conservation status

Ptilotus aphyllus is listed as "not threatened" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.