Johnson, Duperreya 
moderately densely sericeous below. Peduncle 
6-16 mm long; bracteoles linear to narrowly 
elliptic, 2.5-5 mm long, 0.75-1.2 mm wide, 
extending to 6 x 1.5 mm at fruiting, vestiture 
as for the leaves. Outer sepals narrowly 
oblong-elliptic to narrowly ovate, 5-8 mm 
long, 1.5-2.5 mm wide, with a length:breadth 
ratio of 3-3.5, apex acute to obtuse, base 
obtuse to rounded, becoming chartaceous 
and extending to 19 mm x 6 mm at fruiting 
with the length:breadth ratio increasing to 4, 
becoming rounded at the apex, moderately to 
densely sericeous, becoming sparse with age, 
with 5 prominent longitudinal veins; inner 
sepals linear to narrowly elliptic, 5-6.5 mm 
long, 1-2.5 mm wide, with a length:breadth 
ratio of 3.5-5.5, apex barely acute to obtuse 
extending to 17 mm x 6 mm at fruiting. Corolla 
blue to pale blue, slightly lobed; petals 8-12 
mm long, 6-8 mm wide at the rim, rounded- 
triangular, apiculate at the distal end, sparsely 
to very sparsely hairy on the midpetaline band 
for 4-5 mm. Stamen filaments 2.5-4 mm 
long, fused to the base of the corolla tube for 
0.5-0.9 mm; anthers 1.5-1.85 mm long, 0.8- 
0.9 mm wide, basal lobes 0.3-0.4 mm long. 
Ovary 0.9-1.3 mm high; style 3.5-5 mm long. 
Utricle ellipsoid to slightly obovoid, 5.5-6.5 
mm long, glabrous or with a few apical hairs, 
longitudinally striated; seed 4-5 mm long. 
Fig. 1A & IB. 
Additional selected specimens (49 examined): Western 
Australia. 9 miles [14.7 km] E of Wittenoom, Aug 
1965, Beauglehole 11546 (BRI, MEL, PERTH); 6 km 
S of Agnew, Leonora road, Sep 1978, Beauglehole & 
Errey ACB59624 (PERTH); Coombawan Windmill, 
Wonganoo Station, Aug 1999, Boladeras 86 (PERTH); 
on Murlunmuylurna walk at crossing pool, Millstream, 
Jul 2004, Byrne 1097 (PERTH); E side of Lyndon 
- Williambury road, Williambury, Aug 1981, Cranfield 
1842 (PERTH); 1.4 km N of Tindler Bore, Melangata 
Station, Sep 1987, Cranfield 6166 (PERTH); Mt Magnet, 
Sep 1903, Fitzgerald s.n. (NSW645799, PERTH); 
Laverton, Sep 1909, Maiden s.n. (NSW181028); near 
Wittenoom Gorge, c. 100 miles [161 km] S of Marble 
Bar, 1952, McMahon s.n. (NSW645801); c. 30 km SW 
of Balfour Downs Homestead on track to Ethel Creek 
Homestead, Sep 1995, Mitchell PRP 541 (BRI, PERTH); 
Dairy Creek Station, c. 4 km N of homestead, Aug 
2003, Patrick et at. SP4813 (PERTH); “Palm Springs”, 
S tributary of Fortescue River, Oct 1974, Rodd 2826 
(NSW); near Meekatharra, Oct 1958, Speck 1501 
(CANB, NSW, PERTH); 20 km NNW of New Springs 
Homestead, Sep 1979, Toelken 6296 (AD, BRI); on 
NW Coastal Highway, 32 miles [51.5 km] S of Minilya 
Roadhouse, Sep 1976, Whaite & Whaite 4201B (NSW); 
49 
9.7 km S of Bullstag Well, “Balfour Downs”, Sep 1991, 
Wilson 967 & Rowe (NSW). Northern Territory. 2.5 
km N. Puntitjata Outstation, Oct 2001, Albrecht 10089 
(DNA, PERTH). 
Distribution and habitat : Duperreya 
commixta occurs in inland Western Australia 
from the Hamersley Ranges in the north to 
Laverton in the south (Map 1). It has also 
been recorded from the south western corner 
of the Northern Territory. It grows on rocky 
escarpments and along creeklines, on sandy, 
loamy or sandy-clay soils in Acacia thickets 
(especially mulga and lancewood) and in 
bloodwood woodlands. 
Phenology : Flowering occurs in the late 
winter to spring from July to November 
with fruiting specimens collected through to 
March. 
Notes : The specimen of Duperreya commixta 
collected by David Albrecht from 2.5 km N 
of Puntitjata Outstation in the far southwest 
of the Northern Territory currently appears to 
be from a remote outlier more than 500 km to 
the east of the main population. 
Conservation status : This species does not 
appear to be under threat and is given no 
conservation status in Western Australia. 
However, the population discovered in the 
far southwest of the Northern Territory is 
significant from a conservation point of view 
given its disjunction. 
Etymology : The specific epithet is derived 
from the Latin commixtio , mixture, referring 
to the fact that specimens of this species were 
mistaken for D. sericea. 
2. Duperreya sericea Gaudich. in Freycinet, 
Voyage Autour du Monde... sur les Corvettes 
de S. M. I ’Uranie et la Physicienne. Botanique 
t. 63 (1828); 452 (1829); Porana sericea 
(Gaudich.) F.Muell., Fragm. 6: 100 (1867). 
Type: Western Australia. Novae Hollandiae 
ora occidentail (baie des Chiens-Marins) 
[Shark Bay], C.Gaudichaud s.n. (holo: P n.v., 
iso: G n.v,); fide Staples (1986: 56). 
Ipomoea modesta F.Muell., Fragm. 2: 22 
(1860), nom. illeg. non Choisy (1854). Type: 
Western Australia, “in virgultis ad flumen 
Murchison”, A.F.Oldfield s.n. (holo: MEL 
n.v.; iso: K n.v.). 
