Ptilotus benlii
Ptilotus benlii is a species of flowering plant in the family Amaranthaceae and is endemic to northern Western Australia. It is an erect, perennial herb with a ribbed stem, narrowly lance-shaped stem leaves with the narrower end towards the base, green or white, oval or cylindrical spikes of flowers with long, silky hairs, and five fertile stamens.
Description
Ptilotus benlii is an erect, perennial herb that typically grows up to high, with a ribbed, hairy stem. The stem leaves are narrowly lance-shaped stem with the narrower end towards the base, long and wide. There are no leaves at the base of the plant. The flowers are green or white, borne in oval to cylindrical heads long and wide on the end of stems. There are egg-shaped, glabrous, transparent bracts long and wide, and broadly egg-shaped bracteoles. The tepals are narrowly lance-shaped, long, wide, the inner tepals with woolly hairs. There are five fertile stamens, the style is long and the ovary is glabrous. Flowering occurs from mid to late spring.
Taxonomy
Ptilotus benlii was first formally described in 2018 by Robert Davis and Timothy Hammer in the journal Nuytsia from specimens collected north-west of Northampton, [Western Australia|Northampton] in 2005. The specific epithet honours the German botanist Gerhard Benl, for his significant contribution to the taxonomy of the genus Ptilotus.
Distribution and habitat
This species of Ptilotus grows in a range of habitats, often in open scrub or mallee woodland with Acacia rostellifera, from near Northampton to Nungarin and Youanmi Station in the Avon Wheatbelt, Geraldton Sandplains, Murchison and Yalgoo bioregions of Western Australia.
Conservation status
Ptilotus benlii is listed as "not threatened" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.