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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 Conservation listings displayed on Florabase may also be out of date.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 obovatus (Gaudich.) F.Muell.
Cotton Bush

Reference
Fragm. (Mueller) 6:228-229 (1868)
Conservation Code
Not threatened
Naturalised Status
Native to Western Australia
Name Status
Current

Shrub, 0.1-1.4 m high. Fl. pink-white-other, Jun to Dec. Variety of soils, red sand. Gravelly hills.

Amanda Spooner, Descriptive Catalogue, 31 August 1999
Image

Scientific Description

Shrubs, stems single or several, more or less erect, persistently hairy, with dendritic hairs. Leaves present, 6-50 mm long, 3-18 mm wide, persistently hairy, with dendritic or stellate hairs; basal rosette absent; cauline leaves alternate. Spikes pink, ovoid or cylindrical, clustered, with densely arranged flowers. Bracts (1.8-)2.5-3.5 mm long, coloured or colourless, hairy, not awned or mucronate, with an obscure or a prominent midrib. Bracteoles (2.5-)3-4.5 mm long, colourless, hairy, awned or mucronate, with a prominent midrib. Outer tepals (8.3-)8.5-10(-11) mm long, not entire. Inner tepals 8-9.8(-10.8) mm long, with a basal tuft of hairs on inner face. Style 3.4 mm long, curved, obliquely fixed to ovary. Distribution: South West, Northern and Eremaean Botanical Region; IBRA regions: Dampierland.

R. Davis, 30 April 2019

Distribution

IBRA Regions
Avon Wheatbelt, Carnarvon, Central Ranges, Coolgardie, Dampierland, Gascoyne, Geraldton Sandplains, Gibson Desert, Great Sandy Desert, Great Victoria Desert, Hampton, Little Sandy Desert, Mallee, Murchison, Nullarbor, Pilbara, Yalgoo.
IBRA Subregions
Ashburton, Augustus, Cape Range, Carlisle, Carnegie, Central, Chichester, Dune Field, Eastern Goldfield, Eastern Mallee, Eastern Murchison, Edel, Fortescue, Geraldton Hills, Hamersley, Hampton, Katanning, Lateritic Plain, Mackay, Mann-Musgrave Block, Maralinga, Mardabilla, Merredin, Nullarbor Plain, Pindanland, Roebourne, Rudall, Shield, Southern Cross, Tallering, Trainor, Western Murchison, Wooramel.
IMCRA Regions
Ningaloo, Pilbara (nearshore), Pilbara (offshore), Shark Bay, Zuytdorp.
Local Government Areas (LGAs)
Ashburton, Carnamah, Carnarvon, Chapman Valley, Coolgardie, Cue, Dalwallinu, Dowerin, Dundas, East Pilbara, Esperance, Exmouth, Greater Geraldton, Kalgoorlie-Boulder, Karratha, Koorda, Laverton, Leonora, Meekatharra, Menzies, Merredin, Mingenew, Morawa, Mount Magnet, Mount Marshall, Mukinbudin, Murchison, Ngaanyatjarraku, Northampton, Nungarin, Perenjori, Port Hedland, Sandstone, Shark Bay, Trayning, Upper Gascoyne, Westonia, Wiluna, Wongan-Ballidu, Wyalkatchem, Yalgoo, Yilgarn.