Ptilotus exaltatus

Ptilotus exaltatus
File:Ptilotus exaltatus.jpg
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Core eudicots
Order:	Caryophyllales
Family:	Amaranthaceae
Genus:	Ptilotus
Species:	P. exaltatus
Binomial name
Ptilotus exaltatus (Nees) Benth.

Ptilotus exaltus var. exaltatus (also Pink Mulla Mulla) is one of the largest mulla mullas. This ephemeral in a good season grows to 1.5m tall, though in poor years it may be only a few cm tall. There is a basal rosette of spathulate-oblanceolate smooth leaves up to 10 cm long, the stem leaves being shorter. The flower spikes are up to 10 cm long and 4 cm across with loosely hairy flowers. The species is widespread from the North-West coast of Australia east into the Northern Territory, New South Wales, Queensland and south-east to the eastern agricultural districts, Norseman and into South Australia. One author has suggested that Ptilotus exaltatus be synonymised with Ptilotus nobilis.