1	"Sepals (i.e. the perianth segments) < 1.6 mm long; flowers unisexual, the males lacking styles, the females lacking sterile stamens"	"Ptilotus crispus"
1	"Sepals 2-50 mm long; flowers bisexual, or functionally female with sterile stamens"	2
2	"Style centrally placed on the ovary summit"	3
2	"Style excentrically placed on the ovary summit"	50
3	"Leaves glabrous or glabrescent, or mature plants leafless"	4
3	"Leaves persistently hairy"	38
4	"Stems erect"	5
4	"Stems prostrate or decumbent"	28
5	"Staminal cup appendages absent"	6
5	"Staminal cup appendages present"	22
6	"Inner sepals with hairs on adaxial surface or on inner margins"	7
6	"Inner sepals glabrous on adaxial surface"	17
7	"Inner sepals not clawed"	8
7	"Inner sepals clawed"	12
8	"Hairs on outer sepals not exceeding sepal apex"	9
8	"Hairs on outer sepals exceeding sepal apex"	11
9	"Inflorescences nodding; staminal cup long and tube-like, 8-11 mm long"	"Ptilotus auriculifolius"
9	"Inflorescences not nodding; staminal cup short, < 1.5 mm long"	10
10	"Bract apex not aristate"	"Ptilotus mitchellii"
10	"Bract apex aristate"	"Ptilotus decipiens"
11	"Bracteoles as long as sepals"	"Ptilotus villosiflorus"
11	"Bracteoles at most half the length of sepals"	"Ptilotus subspinescens"
12	"Flowers not clustered as above"	13
12	"Inflorescence units in corymb- or umbel-like clusters"	16
13	"Staminal filaments narrowly ligulate, dilated into a disc under anthers"	"Ptilotus conicus"
13	"Staminal filaments not as above"	14
14	"Bracts and bracteoles without an awn-like apex"	"Ptilotus mitchellii"
14	"Bracts and bracteoles with an awn-like apex"	15
15	"Inflorescences red; bracteoles 3.5-4 mm long"	"Ptilotus spicatus"
15	"Inflorescences white; bracteoles 4.4-5.2 mm long"	"Ptilotus capitatus"
16	"Inflorescence units obovoid, in dense umbel-like clusters"	"Ptilotus johnstonianus"
16	"Inflorescence units hemispherical to ovoid, in loose corymbs"	"Ptilotus corymbosus"
17	"Stems woody"	18
17	"Stems herbaceous"	19
18	"Style conspicuously sigmoid"	"Ptilotus chrysocomus"
18	"Style more or less straight"	"Ptilotus arthrolasius"
19	"Inflorescences nodding; staminal cup long and tube-like, 8-11 mm long"	"Ptilotus auriculifolius"
19	"Inflorescences not nodding; staminal cup short, not tube-like"	20
20	"Sepal abaxial surface glabrescent, hairs concentrated at apex"	"Ptilotus decalvatus"
20	"Sepal abaxial surface with persistent hairs at base or throughout"	21
21	"Sepals villous throughout length of abaxial surface"	"Ptilotus lanatus"
21	"Sepals woolly at base of abaxial surface, glabrous at apex"	"Ptilotus gomphrenoides"
22	"Bracteoles longer than sepals"	"Ptilotus latifolius"
22	"Bracteoles shorter than sepals"	23
23	"Staminal cup lobes conspicuously forked"	"Ptilotus capitatus"
23	"Staminal cup lobes not as above"	24
24	"Sepals green; inflorescences > 24 mm wide"	"Ptilotus benlii"
24	"Sepals pink to pale pink or whitish; inflorescences < 20 mm wide"	25
25	"Stems leafless at maturity"	"Ptilotus aphyllus"
25	"Stems with leaves at maturity"	26
26	"Erect slender herbs, taproot fleshy; inflorescences cylindrical"	"Ptilotus calostachyus"
26	"Rounded herbs or subshrubs (stems basally woody), taproot woody; inflorescences globular to ovoid"	27
27	"Stems becoming woody; leaves narrow-linear, sparse"	"Ptilotus schwartzii"
27	"Stems herbaceous; leaves lanceolate to spathulate, basally crowded"	"Ptilotus drummondii"
28	"Inner sepals glabrous adaxially"	29
28	"Inner sepals hairy adaxially"	33
29	"Ovary villous-woolly at summit"	"Ptilotus aervoides"
29	"Ovary glabrous"	30
30	"Sepals conspicuously clawed"	31
30	"Sepals not clawed"	32
31	"Staminal cup appendages absent"	"Ptilotus unguiculatus"
31	"Staminal cup appendages present"	"Ptilotus chamaecladus"
32	"Inflorescences sessile; outer sepals acute; inner sepal midrib region 0.2-0.3 mm wide"	"Ptilotus murrayi"
32	"Inflorescences more or less pedunculate; outer sepals with a rounded apex; inner sepal midrib region 0.5-0.8 mm wide"	"Ptilotus gomphrenoides"
33	"Sepals truncate-serrate"	34
33	"Sepals acute"	35
34	"Sepals 5-7.7 mm long, densely woolly abaxially"	"Ptilotus humilis"
34	"Sepals 3.5-4.5 mm long, sparse silky-hairy abaxially"	"Ptilotus exiliflorus"
35	"Plants mat-forming; stems prostrate, persistently stellate-hairy"	"Ptilotus roei"
35	"Plants not mat-forming; stems decumbent or erect, glabrous or glabrescent"	36
36	"Staminal cup appendages present"	"Ptilotus drummondii"
36	"Staminal cup appendages absent"	37
37	"Sepals conspicuously clawed"	"Ptilotus unguiculatus"
37	"Sepals not clawed"	"Ptilotus esquamatus"
38	"Stems woody or basally woody"	39
38	"Stems herbaceous"	47
39	"Ovary hairy"	40
39	"Ovary glabrous"	42
40	"Stamens longer than sepals"	"Ptilotus helichrysoides"
40	"Stamens shorter than sepals"	41
41	"Inflorescences in solitary, terminal spikes; flowers interrupted"	"Ptilotus royceanus"
41	"Inflorescences in dense terminal panicles, flowers not interrupted"	"Ptilotus mollis"
42	"Sepal hairs woolly, clearly exceeding apices"	"Ptilotus albidus"
42	"Sepal hairs not woolly, not exceeding apices"	43
43	"Leaves < 20 mm wide"	44
43	"Leaves > 30 mm wide"	46
44	"Leaves narrowly oblanceolate to narrowly elliptical"	"Ptilotus wilsonii"
44	"Leaves ovate to spathulate"	45
45	"Stems and leaves with yellow-villous indumentum of long branching hairs"	"Ptilotus luteolus"
45	"Stems and leaves with grey-green, tomentose indumentum of short branching hairs"	"Ptilotus astrolasius"
46	"Sepals and staminal filaments pink; inflorescences > 30 mm wide"	"Ptilotus rotundifolius"
46	"Sepals creamish-green; staminal filaments white; inflorescences < 21 mm wide"	"Ptilotus marduguru"
47	"Bracts and bracteoles longer than sepals"	"Ptilotus decipiens"
47	"Bracts and bracteoles shorter than sepals"	48
48	"Inflorescences not nodding; flowers pink"	"Ptilotus helipteroides"
48	"Inflorescences nodding; flowers creamish-green"	49
49	"Leaves to 4.5 cm long with velvety indumentum"	"Ptilotus gardneri"
49	"Leaves to 9 cm long with villous indumentum"	"Ptilotus clementii"
50	"Fertile stamens 3-5"	51
50	"Fertile stamens 1 or 2"	93
51	"Ovary hairy"	52
51	"Ovary glabrous"	72
52	Annuals	53
52	Perennials	68
53	"Inner sepals adaxially hairy or with row of hairs on inwardly folding margins"	54
53	"Inner sepals adaxially glabrous"	60
54	"Inflorescences interrupted"	"Ptilotus tetrandrus"
54	"Inflorescences not interrupted"	55
55	"Bracts hairy, opaque"	56
55	"Bracts glabrous, translucent"	58
56	"Sepals < 10 mm long"	"Ptilotus carinatus"
56	"Sepals > 16 mm long"	57
57	"Flowers creamish-green, rarely with pale pink flush; sepals not gaping widely at anthesis, more or less falcately down-curved; ovary not obscured, the hairs at the base of the sepals more or less erect, not forming a woolly plug"	"Ptilotus nobilis"
57	"Flowers purple to pink; sepals gaping widely at anthesis, straight; ovary obscured by a plug of woolly hairs at the base of the sepals"	"Ptilotus exaltatus"
58	"Flowers green; sepals > 15 mm long; staminode inconspicuous"	"Ptilotus xerophilus"
58	"Flowers pink; sepals < 10 mm long; staminode conspicuous"	59
59	"Sepals > 6 mm long; staminode > 3 mm long; anthers > 0.6 mm long"	"Ptilotus helipteroides"
59	"Sepals < 5.5 mm long; staminode < 2.6 mm long; anthers < 0.6 mm long"	"Ptilotus actinocladus"
60	"Outer sepals much longer than inner"	"Ptilotus trichocephalus"
60	"Outer and inner sepals subequal"	61
61	"Sepals with hairs not restricted to midrib on abaxial surface"	62
61	"Sepals with  hairs restricted to midrib on abaxial surface"	67
62	"Sepal apex truncate-serrate; flowers orange to yellow"	"Ptilotus carlsonii"
62	"Sepal apex acute; flowers creamish-green, sometimes with pale pinkish tinge"	63
63	"Stems prostrate, sprawling; sepals < 6 mm long"	"Ptilotus aervoides"
63	"Stems erect or ascending; sepals > 8 mm long"	64
64	"Ovary with a distinct coma of hairs"	"Ptilotus fusiformis"
64	"Ovary without a distinct coma of hairs"	65
65	"Inflorescences 30-60 mm wide; flowers not opening broadly, radially symmetric; old flowers not appressed to rachis"	"Ptilotus xerophilus"
65	"Inflorescences 18-28 mm wide; flowers opening broadly, bilaterally symmetric; old flowers upwardly adpressed to rachis"	66
66	"Pedicel (i.e. the stalk attaching the bract and flower to the rachis) after abscission squat with a prominent disc at apex; ovary gibbous; staminal cup with sparse, short hairs"	"Ptilotus polystachyus"
66	"Pedicel after abscission slender with a reduced disc at apex; ovary not gibbous; staminal cup with copious, long, silky hair"	"Ptilotus giganteus"
67	"Sepals 10-15 mm long; anthers > 0.9 mm long"	"Ptilotus gaudichaudii"
67	"Sepals 6-9 mm long; anthers < 0.6 mm long"	"Ptilotus eremita"
68	"Inflorescences interrupted (flowers distantly spaced on rachis)"	69
68	"Inflorescences not interrupted"	70
69	"Rounded herbs or subshrubs to 0.4 m high, many branches; bracts narrowly lanceolate, 0.7-0.9 mm wide; sepals with hairs on the abaxial surface to 8 mm long, exceeding the sepal apex by 1-2 mm"	"Ptilotus crinitus"
69	"Erect slender tuberous herbs to 1 m high, few (if any) branches; bracts ovate, 1.6-2 mm wide; sepals with abaxial hairs to 4 mm long, not exceeding the sepal apex"	"Ptilotus distans"
70	"Stems prostrate or decumbent"	"Ptilotus holosericeus"
70	"Stems erect"	71
71	"Stems woody or basally woody (when young); sepals without densely woolly indumentum on the adaxial surface; staminodes 2, flat-tened, yellow and showy"	"Ptilotus obovatus"
71	"Stems herbaceous; sepals with densely woolly indumentum on the adaxial surface; staminodes 2, filiform, not showy, obscured by woolly sepal hairs"	"Ptilotus exaltatus"
72	"Stems erect"	73
72	"Stems prostrate or decumbent"	83
73	"Leaves glabrous or with sparse hairs not obscuring the surface"	74
73	"Leaves with hairs obscuring surface"	81
74	"Stems, woody or basally woody, divaricately branching"	"Ptilotus divaricatus"
74	"Stems herbaceous, not divaricately branching"	75
75	"Small herb < 8 cm tall; basal rosette of spathulate leaves"	"Ptilotus pyramidatus"
75	"Herbs  > 8 cm tall; leaves not as above"	76
76	"Sepals with hairs restricted to midrib of abaxial surface"	"Ptilotus gaudichaudii"
76	"Sepals with hairs not restricted to midrib abaxial surface"	77
77	"Bracts translucent; fertile stamens 4-5"	78
77	"Bracts opaque; fertile stamens 3"	80
78	"Sepal abaxial surface glabrous apart from basal hairs; flowers pink; fertile stamens 5"	"Ptilotus grandiflorus"
78	"Sepal abaxial surface hairy apart from apex; flowers cream to green; fertile stamens 4"	79
79	"Inflorescences 18-28 mm wide; flowers opening broadly, bilaterally symmetric; old flowers upwardly appressed to rachis"	"Ptilotus polystachyus"
79	"Inflorescences 30-60 mm wide; flowers not opening broadly, radially symmetric; old flowers not upwardly appressed to rachis"	"Ptilotus xerophilus"
80	"Flowers creamish-green, rarely with a pale pink flush; sepals not gaping widely at anthesis, more or less falcately down-curved; ovary not obscured, the hairs at the base of the sepals more or less erect, not forming a woolly plug"	"Ptilotus nobilis"
80	"Flowers purple to pink; sepals gaping widely at anthesis, straight; ovary obscured by a plug of woolly hairs at the base of the sepals"	"Ptilotus exaltatus"
81	"Staminodes absent or obscure"	"Ptilotus eriotrichus"
81	"Staminodes prominent and coloured"	82
82	"Staminodes pink; sepals 12-20 mm long"	"Ptilotus sessilifolius"
82	"Staminodes yellow; sepals 6.5-9.5 mm long"	"Ptilotus incanus"
83	Perennials	84
83	Annuals	91
84	"Sepals, stamens and style very prominently upwardly curved; fertile stamens 4, the staminode conspicuous, to 17 mm long"	"Ptilotus declinatus"
84	"Sepals, stamens and style more or less straight, downwardly curving or not all prominently upwardly curved; all 5 stamens fertile or staminodes short and inconspicuous"	85
85	"Sepals with hairs exceeding the apex"	86
85	"Sepals with hairs not exceeding the apex"	87
86	"Prostrate, creeping or ascending subshrub with stems arising from a rhizome; lacking a basal rosette of leaves; stems many, branching, not all terminating in an inflorescence"	"Ptilotus symonii"
86	"Perennial herb with stems arising from a woody rootstock; basal rosette of leaves prominent; stems few to several, prostrately radiating, rarely branching, with an inflorescence terminating each stem"	"Ptilotus holosericeus"
87	"Inflorescences becoming long-cylindrical; basal leaves distinctly spathulate"	"Ptilotus spathulatus"
87	"Inflorescences mostly ovoid; basal leaves oblanceolate"	88
88	"Plants with stems arising singly and scattered from a hairy rhizome"	"Ptilotus clivicola"
88	"Plants with multiple stems arising from a perennial rootstock"	89
89	"Sepals white to green; bracts prominently sickle-shaped"	"Ptilotus falcatus"
89	"Sepals pink or magenta; bracts not sickle-shaped"	90
90	"Bracts 6.8-9.0 mm long; bracteole 6.2-11.5 mm long; outer sepals 9-14.5 mm long; anthers 0.5-0.7 mm long; style 1.4-3.5 mm long"	"Ptilotus davisii"
90	"Bracts 10-13.5 mm long; bracteole 13-15 mm long; outer sepals 17-28 mm long; anthers 1.0-1.2 mm long; style 4.0-6.5 mm long"	"Ptilotus manglesii"
91	"Outer sepals at least 10 mm longer than inner sepals"	"Ptilotus crosslandii"
91	"Outer and inner sepals similar in size"	92
92	"Sepals with dorsal straight hairs, apex acute"	"Ptilotus procumbens"
92	"Sepals glabrous, apex truncate-serrate"	"Ptilotus grandiflorus"
93	"Ovary hairy"	94
93	"Ovary glabrous"	106
94	"Stems woody or basally woody"	95
94	"Stems herbaceous"	101
95	"Bracts longer than bracteoles"	96
95	"Bracts shorter than bracteoles"	97
96	"Leaves glabrous or glabrescent, in-curved, semi-succulent"	"Ptilotus yapukaratja"
96	"Leaves with persistent verticillate hairs, not as above"	"Ptilotus kenneallyanus"
97	"Stems divaricately branching"	"Ptilotus lazaridis"
97	"Stems with no pattern of branching, i.e. not divaricate"	98
98	"Leaves < 1.6 mm wide, in fascicles"	99
98	"Leaves > 3 mm wide, not in fascicles"	100
99	"Stems glabrous; sepals 11-13 mm long"	"Ptilotus rigidus"
99	"Stems hairy; sepals 15-19 mm long"	"Ptilotus daphne"
100	"Leaves glabrous"	"Ptilotus stipitatus"
100	"Leaves with persistent verticillate hairs"	"Ptilotus kenneallyanus"
101	"Inner sepals without basal tuft of hairs inside"	102
101	"Inner sepals with a prominent basal tuft of hairs inside"	104
102	"Bracts longer than bracteoles"	"Ptilotus blackii"
102	"Bracts shorter than bracteoles"	103
103	"Leaves mostly glabrous"	"Ptilotus axillaris"
103	"Leaves with persistent villous indumentum"	"Ptilotus appendiculatus"
104	"Leaves with persistent verticillate hairs on adaxial surface to 2 mm long"	"Ptilotus andersonii"
104	"Leaves glabrous or glabrescent"	105
105	"Flowers creamish-green; sepal apices acute, not dilated; lower portion of sepals glabrous"	"Ptilotus seminudus"
105	"Flowers pink; sepal apices rounded and dilated; lower portion of sepals densely hairy"	"Ptilotus chippendalei"
106	"Stems woody or basally woody"	107
106	"Stems herbaceous"	111
107	"Leaves sessile or subsessile"	108
107	"Leaves petiolate"	110
108	"Stems erect or ascending; leaves not crowded at the base of the stem"	"Ptilotus beardii"
108	"Stems prostrate, mat-forming; leaves crowded at the base of the stem"	109
109	"Sepals > 8 mm long, apices rounded"	"Ptilotus fasciculatus"
109	"Sepals < 7 mm long, apices not rounded (presumed extinct)"	"Ptilotus caespitulosus"
110	"Glabrous portion of outer sepal apices 3-5 mm long; bracts more or less equal in length to bracteoles; style 6-10 mm long"	"Ptilotus polakii subsp. polakii"
110	"Glabrous portion of outer sepal apices 1-2 mm long; bracts shorter than bracteoles; style 4-5.5 mm long"	"Ptilotus polakii subsp. juxta"
111	"Fertile stamen 1"	"Ptilotus alexandri"
111	"Fertile stamens 2"	112
112	"Adaxial surface of inner sepals with a basal tuft of hairs"	113
112	"Adaxial surface of inner sepals more or less glabrous"	118
113	"Leaves thick, semi-succulent to succulent; flowers green or with a pink or red tinge; sepals with short, appressed hairs on abaxial surface"	114
113	"Leaves flat, not semi-succulent or succulent; flowers pink to purple; sepals with long, spreading hairs on abaxial surface"	117
114	"Inflorescences with flowers loosely arranged on the rachis, narrowly cylindrical to rod-like, >= 60 mm long; bracts and bracteoles with blackened appearance; outer sepals < 4.5 mm long, apex margins broad and truncate and glabrous for > 20% of sepal surface; inner sepals < 4.3 mm long"	"Ptilotus sp. Kalgoorlie (J. Jackson & B. Moyle 260)"
114	"Inflorescences with flowers tightly arranged on the rachis, ovoid to cylindrical, < 50 mm long; bracts and bracteoles brown or straw-coloured, fading with age; outer sepals > 5.0 mm long, apex margins folded to appear acute or rounded and glabrous for < 20% of sepal surface; inner sepals > 4.5 mm long"	115
115	"Flowering stem 15-25(-50) mm long; bracts < 4 mm long, nearly < 0.5 mm longer than bracteoles, tip tapering to ~0.3 mm point; bracteoles < 3.4 mm long, tip tapering to ~0.5 mm point; style < 4.1 mm long, deeply sinuate and dark pink or reddish at apex"	"Ptilotus chortophytus"
115	"Flowering stem 50-150 mm long; bracts >= 5 mm long, > 1 mm longer than bracteoles, tip tapering to ~1 mm point; bracteoles > 3.7 mm long, tip tapering to ~1 mm point; style > 4.2 mm long, straight to slightly wavy, cream-coloured throughout"	116
116	"Bracts 6.0-6.5 mm long; bracteoles 4.7-5.0 mm long; sepal apex colour yellow-green; inner surface of inner sepals with woolly hairs ~1 mm long; staminal filaments < 3 mm long; stigma sitting > 1 mm higher than anthers at anthesis; anthers red"	"Ptilotus sp. Cue (P. Armstrong PA 16/362)"
116	"Bracts 5.0-5.6 mm long; bracteoles 3.8-4.0 mm long; sepal apex colour ferruginous or red; inner surface of inner sepals with woolly hairs ~1.5 mm long; staminal filaments > 3.5 mm long, stigma at more or less the same height as anthers at anthesis; anthers cream"	"Ptilotus sp. Kookynie (J. Jackson & B. Moyle 261)"
117	"Plants decumbent; bracts 1.8-4.5 mm long; bracteoles 3-5 mm long"	"Ptilotus stirlingii subsp. stirlingii"
117	"Plants prostrate; bracts 5.3-6 mm long; bracteoles 5.4-6.3 mm long"	"Ptilotus stirlingii subsp. australis"
118	"Staminodes conspicuous, c. 2 mm long"	"Ptilotus halophilus"
118	"Staminodes minute or absent"	119
119	"Bracts 4-5.7 mm long"	"Ptilotus sericostachyus subsp. sericostachyus"
119	"Bracts 6.5-7 mm long"	"Ptilotus sericostachyus subsp. roseus"