Ptilotus.] 
C. AMARANTACEJL 
1223 
long. Filaments much dilated towards the base, and again shortly dilated and 
obcordate under the anthers. — Moq. in DC. Prod. xiii. ii. 282 ; Trichinium 
conicum, Spreng. Syst. i. 816. 
Hub.: Islands of the Gulf of Carpentaria, R. Brown. 
2. P. corymbosus (corymbose), Ii. Br. Prod. 415 ; Benth. FI. Austr. v. 
242. An erect slender glabrous annual of about 1ft. or rather more, loosely and 
corymbosely branched at the top or nearly from the base. Leaves very narrow- 
linear, acute, the lower ones often nearly 2in. long, those of the branches very 
small. Spikes small, at first hemispherical, at length globular or almost ovoid, 
glabrous outside. Bracts and braeteoles ovate, scarious, minutely mucronate, 
much shorter than the perianth. Perianth-segments all equal, about 2 to 2J 
lines long, acute, the two outer ones scarious almost from the base, glabrous 
inside as well as out, the 3 inner ones more rigid, ribbed, and woolly inside in 
the lower half or claw. Filaments filiform to the top, slightly dilated to the 
base and united in a very short cup. — Moq. in DC. Prod. xiii. ii. 282 ; Trichinium 
corymbosum, Spreng. Syst. i. 816 not of Gaudich. 
Hab.: Islands of the Gulf of Carpentaria, R. Brown. 
3. P. spicatus (spicate), F. r. M. Herb. ; Benth. FI. Austr. v. 243. An 
erect glabrous annual (or with a perennial rhizome ?) of 1 to 2ft., with long 
branches bearing usually each a single spike as in P. conicus. Leaves narrow 
linear or rarely linear-lanceolate acute, the larger ones 2in. long. Spikes at 
first shortly conical, at length cylindrical and above lin. long. Bracts and 
braeteoles narrow, acute or aristate, shorter than the perianth. Perianth 
about 2J lines long, surrounded at the base by a dense ring of rigid hairs some 
of which are also on the lower portion or claws of the segments ; segments free 
from the base, the upper half scarious coloured (pink or red), obtuse and 
quite glabrous, the 3 inner ones woolly inside below the middle. Staminal 
cup very short, the filaments not very unequal, filiform, scarcely dilated at 
the base. 
Hab.: Camoweal, T. P. Keys and R. G. Burton; McKinley Range, R. C. Burton. 
Var. leianthus. Claws or lower portion of the perianth-segments without any or scarcely any 
dorsal hairs. — Gulf of Carpentaria, Leichhardt ; Flinders River, Bowman, Sutherland. 
4. P. IVIurrayi (after — . Murray), F. v. M. Fraym. iii. 145 ; Benth. FI. 
Austr. v. 213. A small prostrate branching annual (or perennial?). Leaves 
oblong, obtuse, under 4-in. long, contracted into a petiole, glabrous as well as the 
branches. Spikes axillary and terminal, sessile, at first globose, at length 
oblong or cylindrical and about Jin. long and 24 to 3 lines diameter, the 
pink tips of the perianths just appearing above the white wool. Bracts and 
braeteoles ovate, obtuse, scarious, glabrous, scarcely above J line long. Perianth 
about 1J line long, with a very short turbinate base, the segments thinly 
scarious with a red centre, glabrous in the upper half, the lower half covered 
outside with a long dense intricate white wool. Filaments slender, nearly as 
long as the perianth, united at the base in a truncate ring, slightly prominent 
from the perianth-tube; anthers all 5 perfect (or one sometimes abortive?). 
Fruit glabrous ; style rather excentrical. 
Hab.: Monkira, G. L. Debney. 
5. P. latifolius (leaves broad), Pi. Br. App. Sturt’s Exped. 25 ; Benth. FI. 
Austr. v. 244. Steins erect, much branched, herbaceous (annual? or from a 
thick rhizome?) attaining 2ft., the branches and young foliage covered with an 
intricate white cottony wool, the older leaves becoming glabrous. Leaves 
obovate, very obtuse, rather thick, with slightly crisped margins, contracted into 
a rather long petiole, the largest leaves described as scarcely lin. long, 
Part IV. o 
