Family: Amaranthaceae
Ptilotus seminudus
Citation:
J. Black, Fl.S. Aust 328, fig. 462 (1948).
Synonymy: Trichinium seminudum J. Black, Trans. R. Soc. S. Aust. 40:61 (1916).
Common name: Rabbit-tails.
Description:
Perennial caespitose herb with 10-20 arcuate-ascending sometimes prostrate simple or moderately branched stems 20-50 cm long loosely tomentose with spreading hairs, turning subglabrous in lower parts; leaves glabrescent, radical ones broad-lanceolate to spathulate, to 15 x 3 cm, lamina tapering into a winged petiole to c. 4 cm long, stem-leaves smaller, scarcely petiolate.
Spikes globular or oblong-ovoid, to 5 x 3.5 cm, silky-brilliant, dense-flowered with c. 50 flowers; bract and bracteoles to 10 x 2.5 mm; perianth 12-15 mm long, the subglobular hard tube hirsute outside and well visible; the perianth-segments at first purplish then greenish, glabrous in about the lower third (above the tube) except for the finely ciliate margins, densely plumose-villous (with longer jointed hairs underlain in part by shorter ones) in upper portion, outer segments with a more or less truncate glabrous apex, inner ones acute, overtipped by the dorsal pubescence, inside with crisp inflexed marginal hairs; 2 stamens fertile, all dilated into a cup with a free ring; ovary c. 1.8 x 1 mm, at first stipitate, pilose at the summit, style to 5 mm, glabrous.
| Ptilotus seminudus plant, perianth, inner perianth-segment, bract and bracteole and pistil and stamens.
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Image source: fig 187 in Jessop J.P. & Toelken H.R. (Ed.) 1986. Flora of South Australia (4th edn).
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Published illustration:
Benl (1967) Austral. Pl. 4:117.
Distribution:
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S.Aust.: EP, NL, MU, YP. W.Aust.; N.S.W.; Vic.
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Conservation status:
native
Flowering time: most frequently Aug. — Dec.
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SA Distribution Map based
on current data relating to
specimens held in the
State Herbarium of South Australia
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Biology:
No text
Author:
Not yet available
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