Ptilotus davisii
Ptilotus davisii, commonly known as Davis's mulla mulla, is a species of flowering plant in the family Amaranthaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a perennial herb with hairy, linear to lance-shaped leaves, and hemispherical to spherical spikes of pink or magenta flowers.
Description
Ptilotus davisii is a shrub that typically grows to high and wide and has several low-lying to erect, ribbed stems. The leaves at the base of the plants are linear to lance-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, long and wide and the stem leaves are linear to narrowly lance-shaped long and wide. The flower spikes are hemispherical to spherical, rarely oval, up to long and wide with brown or white egg-shaped bracts long and wide and bracteoles long and wide. The outer sepals are lance-shaped, long and wide and the inner sepals are lance-shaped, long and wide. There are three to five fertile stamens, up to two staminodes and the ovary is cone-shaped and glabrous. Flowering has been observed from November to February.
Taxonomy
Ptilotus davisii was first formally described in 2020 by Timothy Andrew Hammer in the journal Swainsona from specimens collected near Woogenellup in 2018. The specific epithet honours Robert Wayne Davis, a Western Australian botanist who has authored 16 species of Ptilotus.
Distribution and habitat
This species of Ptilotus has been collected on winter-wet plains, near creeks and in roadside drains, often in wandoo woodland and Melaleuca shrubland in the Avon Wheatbelt, Esperance Plains, Jarrah Forest and Mallee bioregions of south-western Western Australia.
Conservation status
Ptilotus davisii is listed as "not threatened" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.