Johnson, Duperreya 
Distribution and habitat : Duperreya sericea 
is found in coastal Western Australia from 
between Exmouth and Geraldton in the north 
to Northampton in the south, extending 
in the southern part of its range as far east 
as Menzies (Map 1). It grows in Acacia 
shrublands and heath along creeklines and 
on rocky escarpments, mainly on red sandy 
soils. In inland areas it is commonly found on 
granite. 
Notes : Two specimens from the Swan River 
and Blackwood River housed in European 
herbaria were cited by Staples (1987). These 
collections were made in the 1800’s. I am 
unaware of any collections in Australian 
herbaria from this area and in recent floras 
of this region the species is not listed. If the 
identification and locality information is 
correct then it appears this species no longer 
occurs in this area. 
Phenology : Flowering occurs in the late 
winter to spring, from July to October with 
fruiting recorded through to April. 
Conservation status : This species does not 
appear to be under threat and is given no 
conservation status in Western Australia. 
Etymology : The specific epithetic refers to the 
sericeous indumentum which characterises 
this species. 
3. Duperreya halfordii R.W. Johnson species 
nova differt a D. commixta sepalis praesertim 
fructiferis latioribus et sepalis florentibus, 
corolla, staminibus et stylis brevioribus. 
Typus: New South Wales. Lower part of gorge 
on W side of Mt Gunderbooka, 7 November 
1987, P.G. Wilson 166 & D.l. Wilson (holotypus: 
BRI; isotypi: MEL n.v., NSW n.v). 
Illustrations: Cunningham et al. (1981: 557), 
as Climbing Bindweed ( Porana sericea ); 
Johnson (1992: 378), as Porana commixta. 
Perennial; stems climbing, woody at the 
base, moderately dense to densely sericeous, 
becoming ± glabrous with age; bifid hair arms 
0.1-0.25 mm long. Leaf petiole 0.5-2 mm 
long, 0.03-0.07 times as long as the blade; 
blade linear to linear-ovate, 10-35 mm long, 
1-4 mm wide with a length:breadth ratio of 
8.5-11.5, apex acute to barely obtuse, base 
rounded to obtuse, moderately to densely 
51 
sericeous on both sides. Peduncle 9-10 
mm long at flowering, up to 16 mm long at 
fruiting; bracteoles narrowly ovate to elliptic, 
3-4 mm long, 0.9-1.5 mm wide, extending 
to 7 x 3.5 mm at fruiting, vestiture as for the 
leaves. Outer sepals ovate to ovate-elliptic, 
4.5- 6 mm long, 2-3 mm wide, with a length: 
breadth ratio of 2-2.4, apex acute to obtuse, 
base attenuate to obtuse, becoming broadly 
ovate, chartaceous and extending to 20 mm 
x 11 mm at fruiting with the length:breadth 
ratio decreasing to 1.5, rounded to almost 
emarginate at the apex, moderately to densely 
sericeous, becoming sparse with age with 5 
prominent longitudinal veins; inner sepals 
elliptic to oblong-elliptic, 4.5-6 mm long, 
1 . 8-2 mm wide, with a length:breadth ratio of 
3.5- 5.5, apex barely acute to obtuse, extending 
to 18 mm x 10 mm at fruiting and becoming 
obtuse to rounded at the apex. Corolla blue, 
slightly lobed, petals 7-10 mm long, 5-6 
mm wide at the rim, rounded, sometimes 
emarginate at the distal end, sparsely hairy 
on the midpetaline bands for 3.5-4.5 mm. 
Stamen filaments 3.2-3 .8 mm long, fused to 
the base of the corolla tube for 0.5-0.75 mm, 
glabrous or with an occasional low tubercle 
at the base; anthers 1.25-1.45 mm long, 0.6- 
0.7 mm wide, basal lobes 0.3-0.4 mm long. 
Ovary 1-1.4 mm high; style 3.5-4 mm long. 
Utricle ellipsoid, 4.5-5.5 mm long, glabrous 
or with a few hairs, surface wrinkled and 
longitudinally striated; seed 4-4.5 mm long. 
Fig. IE & IF, Fig 2. 
Additional specimens examined : Queensland. 
Warrego District: Cunnamulla area, Feb 1972, Pike 
24 (BRI); mesa on Norley Homestead, c. 30.4 km N of 
Thargomindah, Jun 1955, Smith 6344 (BRI). New South 
Wales. Cobar District, Oct 1970, Althofer 147 (NSW); 
13.3 km W of Cobar on Barrier Highway on S side of 
road, Nov 1984, Benson & Cooper s.n. (NSW645796); 
“Mulgowan”, Nov 1984, Benson & Cooper s.n. 
(NSW251205); Mt Oxley, c. 20 miles [32.2 km] ESE of 
Bourke, Oct 1963, Constable 4510 (NSW); 15 km W of 
Cobar RO. along Barrier Highway towards Wilcannia, 
Dec 1986, Crisp 7878 (CANB [CBG], NSW); Mark’s 
paddock, “Burrawa”, Dec 1969, Cunningham 86 (NSW); 
8 miles [12.9 km] W of Cobar, Nov 1972, Cunningham 
70 (NSW); 8 miles [12.9 km] W of Cobar, Nov 1972, 
Cunningham 520 (NSW); 14.5 km W of Cobar on 
Barrier Highway, Oct 1974, Cunningham & Milthorpe 
2972 (NSW); 8 miles [12.9 km] W of Cobar, Oct 1911, 
Haviland s.n. (NSW251201); Tundulya, c. 25 miles [40.2 
km] SE of Louth, Apr 1967, Moore 4869 (CANB, NSW); 
Cobar, Dec 1905, Watkin s.n. (NSW181027); “Mt Gap”, 
hill to SE of homestead, Nov 1987, Wilson 169 & Wilson 
(BRI, NSW). 
