Ptilotus christineae is synonymous with the previously Presumed Extinct taxon P. pyramidatus
DAVIS, R.W.
While curating the Ptilotus R.Br. collection at the Western Australian Herbarium, I came across a small line drawing of the Presumed Extinct species P. pyramidatus (Moq.) F.Muell. This name is based on a Drummond collection of unknown provenance. It was immediately clear from the habit depicted that it could represent an earlier name for the recently published P. christineae R.W.Davis & Tauss. Subsequent examination of type material confirmed that P. pyramidatus is conspecific with P. christineae and the latter name must therefore be reduced to synonymy. The specimens collected in Perth in late 2010, which formed the basis for the description of P. christineae, represent the first collections of P. pyramidatus for more than 160 years.
