Ptilotus spathulatus

Deeply taprooted herb, with several prostrate usually unbranched stems to 40 cm long. Stems pubescent, at least toward spike, often reddish. Basal leaves spathulate, to c. 7 cm long, to 1 cm wide, expanded only in the distal 1–2.5 cm, ± glabrous and somewhat fleshy; stem leaves reducing to obovate or oblanceolate, expanding shortly above base. Spike upturned, cylindric, 2–12 cm long, 2–2.5 cm diam., very dense, yellow-green; bract ovate, c. 8 mm long, brown; bracteoles broadly ovate, as long as bract, straw-coloured or brown-tipped; perianth 9–12 mm long; tepals free virtually to base, outer surface densely silky-plumose to within 1 mm of apex, inner surface glabrous except for loose woolly tuft at base; fertile stamens 3–5; ovary subsessile, with fine hairs on keels near apex, style eccentric. Flowers mainly Aug.–Jan.