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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 Conservation listings displayed on Florabase may also be out of date.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 arthrolasius F.Muell.

Reference
Fragm. (Mueller) 6:232-233 (1868)
Conservation Code
Not threatened
Naturalised Status
Native to Western Australia
Name Status
Current

Compact, much-branched perennial, herb or shrub, 0.2-0.75(-2) m high, leaves oblong-lanceolate, 5-85mm long, 1.5-12mm wide; spike maroon-pink, cylindrical to hemispherical, 8-55mm long, 8-17mm wide; bract 3.3-3.8mm long; bracteole 3.3-3.6mm long; tepals 5.3-6.2mm long, apex acuminate; fertile stamens 5; style straight, 1.8-2.1mm long, centrally fixed to ovary. Fl. white-pink/red/purple, Apr to Oct. Red sand, pebbly red loam. Sandplains & sand dunes.

Amanda Spooner, Descriptive Catalogue, 12 May 2008
Image

Scientific Description

Shrubs or perennial herbs, stems several, more or less erect, persistently hairy, with nodose hairs. Leaves present, 5-85 mm long, 1.5-12 mm wide, glabrescent, with dendritic hairs; basal rosette absent; cauline leaves alternate. Spikes green or pink, cylindrical or hemispherical, clustered, with densely arranged flowers. Bracts 3.3-3.8 mm long, colourless, hairy, not awned or mucronate, with an obscure midrib. Bracteoles 3.3-3.6 mm long, colourless, hairy, not awned or mucronate, with an obscure midrib. Outer tepals 5.3-6.2 mm long, entire. Inner tepals 4.8-5.8 mm long, glabrous within. Style 1.8-2.1 mm long, straight, centrally fixed to ovary. Seeds 1.5-1.7 mm long, dull, black. Distribution: Northern and Eremaean Botanical Region; IBRA regions: Dampierland, Ord Victoria Plains.

R. Davis, 30 April 2019

Distribution

IBRA Regions
Carnarvon, Central Ranges, Dampierland, Gascoyne, Gibson Desert, Great Sandy Desert, Little Sandy Desert, Murchison, Ord Victoria Plain, Pilbara, Tanami.
IBRA Subregions
Ashburton, Cape Range, Chichester, Dune Field, Eastern Murchison, Fitzroy Trough, Hamersley, Lateritic Plain, Mackay, Mann-Musgrave Block, McLarty, Pindanland, Roebourne, Rudall, South Kimberley Interzone, Tanami Desert, Trainor, Wooramel.
Local Government Areas (LGAs)
Ashburton, Broome, Carnarvon, Derby-West Kimberley, East Pilbara, Exmouth, Halls Creek, Meekatharra, Ngaanyatjarraku, Port Hedland, Upper Gascoyne, Wiluna.