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The Western Australian Herbarium’s collections management system and census were set to read-only mode on 1 October 2025. Taxonomic updates published since this time are not being reflected in Florabase, herbarium collections, or Western Australia’s taxonomic names census (Nomos). Conservation listings displayed on Florabase may also be out of date. Please refer to DBCA’s Threatened species and communities webpage for the most recent Threatened and Priority Flora List, noting that recent taxonomic updates are similarly not included. Our database migration is moving to a staging phase. We thank you for your patience as we ensure the integrity of our biodiversity data, develop new workflows, and train staff to use the new systems. Please reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns.

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Ptilotus aphyllus Benl

Reference
Nuytsia 3:161-165 (1980)
Conservation Code
Not threatened
Naturalised Status
Native to Western Australia
Name Status
Current

Perennial, herb or shrub, 0.3-0.8 m high, leafless; spike ovoid, or hemispherical, pink, 12-25 mm long, 12-20 mm wide, 4-15 -flowered. Bract 3-4mm long, Bracteole 3-4.5mm long; tepals 6-8 mm long, hairs verticillate, apex entire, attenuate; stamens 5, fertile, ovary hairy; style straight, 2.7-3.1mm long, centrally fixed to ovary. Fl. pink-purple, Mar to May. Red sandy soils. Dunes.

Amanda Spooner, Descriptive Catalogue, 12 May 2008
Image

Scientific Description

Shrubs, stems several, more or less erect, glabrous. Leaves absent, glabrous; basal rosette absent or present; cauline leaves alternate. Spikes pink, ovoid or hemispherical, solitary, with densely arranged flowers. Bracts (3-)3.2-4 mm long, coloured or colourless, hairy, not awned or mucronate, with an obscure midrib. Bracteoles (3-)3.2-4.5 mm long, coloured, hairy, not awned or mucronate, with a prominent midrib. Outer tepals 7.8-8.1 mm long, not entire. Inner tepals 6.8-7.5 mm long, with a basal tuft of hairs on inner face. Style (2.7-)2.8-3(-3.1) mm long, straight, centrally fixed to ovary. Distribution: Eremaean Botanical Region; IBRA regions: Gascoyne, Little Sandy Desert, Pilbara.

R. Davis, 30 April 2019

Distribution

IBRA Regions
Gascoyne, Little Sandy Desert, Pilbara.
IBRA Subregions
Augustus, Chichester, Fortescue, Trainor.
Local Government Areas (LGAs)
East Pilbara, Meekatharra, Wiluna.