1	"Inflorescence cylindrical."	2
1	"Inflorescence globose or ovoid."	11
2	"Leaves (and stems) hairy, especially when young."	3
2	"Leaves glabrous, stems mostly glabrous."	6
3	"Inflorescences less than 5 cm long."	4
3	"Inflorescences, or at least some of them, more than 5 cm long."	5
4	"Leaves oblanceolate, 1.5–2.5 cm long, 3–4 mm wide; hairs simple."	"Ptilotus indivisus"
4	"Leaves obovate, 1–4 cm long, 5–20 mm wide; hairs stellate and simple."	"Ptilotus obovatus"
5	"Inflorescence more than 2 cm diam., dense."	"Ptilotus polystachyus"
5	"Inflorescence less than 2 cm diam., interrupted."	"Ptilotus extenuatus"
6	"Inflorescence more than 3 cm diam."	7
6	"Inflorescence less than 2.5 cm diam."	9
7	"Leaves narrow-linear, c. 3 mm wide."	"Ptilotus macrocephalus"
7	"Leaves obovate or oblong-lanceolate, more than 20 mm wide."	8
8	"Inflorescence yellow-green; leaves mucronate or entire."	"Ptilotus nobilis"
8	"Inflorescence pink-purplish; leaves acute."	"Ptilotus exaltatus"
9	"Leaves spathulate, ovate-cuneate or lanceolate."	"Ptilotus spathulatus"
9	"Cauline leaves linear or linear-lanceolate."	10
10	"Inflorescence yellow-green; perianth segments 6–12 mm long, acute."	"Ptilotus gaudichaudii"
10	"Inflorescence mauve or pinkish; perianth segments less than 6 mm long, obtuse."	"Ptilotus leucocomus"
11	"Leaves (and stems) hairy, especially when young."	12
11	"Leaves glabrous, stems mostly glabrous."	16
12	"Simple and either stellate or dendritic hairs present on leaf."	13
12	"All hairs simple."	14
13	"Perianth segments 6–10 mm long, inner surface glabrous."	"Ptilotus obovatus"
13	"Perianth segments 11–13 mm long, inner surface woolly at the base, with scattered hairs above."	"Ptilotus sessilifolius"
14	"Leaves obovate."	"Ptilotus latifolius"
14	"Leaves broad-lanceolate or linear."	15
15	"Basal leaves broad-lanceolate, `petioles' winged."	"Ptilotus seminudus"
15	"Leaves linear to broad-linear, petioles not winged."	"Ptilotus erubescens"
16	"Leaves less than 10 mm long."	"Ptilotus remotiflorus"
16	"Leaves more than 10 mm long."	17
17	"Perianth segments more than 12 mm long."	18
17	"Perianth segments less than 12 mm long."	20
18	"Leaves broad-lanceolate."	"Ptilotus seminudus"
18	"Leaves linear or linear-lanceolate."	19
19	"Margins of cauline leaves undulate."	"Ptilotus semilanatus"
19	"Margins of cauline leaves flat and entire."	"Ptilotus erubescens"
20	"Perianth segments acute, 6–12 mm long; inflorescence greenish yellow."	"Ptilotus gaudichaudii"
20	"Perianth segments obtuse, 6 mm or less long; inflorescence mauve or pinkish"	"Ptilotus leucocomus"