Ptilotus nobilis

Deeply taprooted herb with several stout, erect, simple branches to c. 40 cm high. Stems glabrous. Basal leaves obovate to oblanceolate, 5–14 cm long, 1–3.5 cm wide, glabrous, thick; stem leaves similar but smaller. Spike erect, cylindric, 5–12 cm long, 4–5 cm diam., dense, yellow-green; bract ovate, c. 1 cm long, acute or acuminate with mucro 0.5–1 mm long; bracteoles similar to bract; perianth 20–25 mm long; tepals united at base into a hardened cup c. 2 mm long, otherwise free, outer surface with long, silky hairs in the distal half, overlying a denser layer of short barbed hairs that extend to the base (where slightly longer), inner surface glabrous except for a loose woolly tuft at base; fertile stamens 3 or 4; ovary supported on stipe as long as basal cup of perianth, sparsely pubescent at summit, style virtually central, slightly sigmoidal, 16–20 mm long. Flowers Aug.–Dec.