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Service Notice

The Western Australian Herbarium’s collections management system, WAHerb, and DBCA’s flora taxonomic names application, WACensus, have been set to read-only mode since 1 October 2025. Recent taxonomic changes are not currently being reflected in Florabase, herbarium collections, or the census. Due to the rapidly approaching holiday season and associated agency and facility soft closures, along with the substantial work involved in data mapping, cleaning, and verification, the migration to the new collection management software is not expected to occur before 1 March 2026, when a further update will be provided. Please reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns.

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Ptilotus axillaris (Benth.) F.Muell.
Mat Mulla Mulla

Reference
Pl.North-West.Austral. 7 (1881)
Conservation Code
Not threatened
Naturalised Status
Native to Western Australia
Name Status
Current

Prostrate annual, herb, 0.03-0.12 m high, leaves, ovate-spathulate, 7-110 mm long, leaves 2-45 mm wide; spike ovoid-cylindrical, 15-50 mm long; spike 25-40 mm wide; bract 7.5-9 mm long; bracteole 8.5-10 mm long; tepals 17-20 mm long; fertile stamens 2, staminodes 3; ovary hairy; style curved, 3.8-5 mm long, eccentrically fixed to ovary. Fl. pink-white, Apr to Nov. Red sand. Stony hills, plains, sand dunes.

Amanda Spooner, Descriptive Catalogue, 27 May 2008
Image

Scientific Description

Annuals, stems several, more or less prostrate, glabrescent, with nodose or verticillate hairs. Leaves present, 7-110 mm long, 2-45 mm wide, glabrescent or glabrous, with nodose or verticillate hairs; basal rosette absent; cauline leaves alternate. Spikes pink or magenta, ovoid or cylindrical, solitary, with densely arranged flowers. Bracts (4.5-)6-7 mm long, coloured, hairy, awned or mucronate, with an obscure midrib. Bracteoles (5-)6.5-6.8 mm long, colourless, glabrous or hairy, awned or mucronate, with a prominent midrib. Outer tepals (11-)13-17.5 mm long, not entire. Inner tepals (10.5-)11.5-16 mm long, glabrous within. Style 3.8-5 mm long, curved, obliquely fixed to ovary. Seeds 1.7-1.9 mm long, dull, black or brown. Distribution: Northern and Eremaean Botanical Region; IBRA regions: Dampierland.

R. Davis, 30 April 2019

Distribution

IBRA Regions
Carnarvon, Dampierland, Gascoyne, Gibson Desert, Great Sandy Desert, Little Sandy Desert, Pilbara.
IBRA Subregions
Ashburton, Augustus, Cape Range, Chichester, Fortescue, Hamersley, Lateritic Plain, Mackay, McLarty, Pindanland, Roebourne, Rudall, Trainor, Wooramel.
IMCRA Regions
Eighty Mile Beach, Ningaloo, Pilbara (nearshore).
Local Government Areas (LGAs)
Ashburton, Broome, Carnarvon, East Pilbara, Exmouth, Karratha, Ngaanyatjarraku, Port Hedland, Upper Gascoyne, Wiluna.