Johnson, Merremia in Australia 
59 
Fig. 1. Merremia incisa. A. flowering branch x 1. B-E. variation in leaf shape from basal to terminal shoots x 1. All 
from Johnson 4638 (BRI). Del. W. Smith. 
Wilson & Barker 4701 (NSW). Queensland. Burke 
District: Spring, c. 3 km SE of Musselbrook Gorge, Jun 
1998, Cumming 17664 (BRI); Amphitheatre, 41 km N 
of Musselbrook Mining Camp, May 1995, Johnson & 
Thomas MRS832 (BRI). 
Distribution and habitat : Merremia incisa 
occurs from north of Broome in Western 
Australia, across the northern part of the 
Northern Territory and extending into 
Queensland, north of Camooweal (Map 1). 
It is commonly associated with sandstone 
massifs often growing along ephemeral 
creeks and pools. It grows in open tussock 
or hummock grassy eucalypt woodlands on 
sandy soils, often containing stone or lateritic 
gravel. 
Phenology : Flowering has been recorded 
from January to August with fruits occurring 
from March to August. 
Affinities : Merremia incisa is a fairly distinct 
species and is perhaps most closely related to 
M. hirta (L.) Merr. It differs from the latter 
species in having coarsely toothed to lobed 
leaves and pink, not yellow flowers. 
Notes : Ipomoea incisa has long been 
recognised as a coastal species growing in 
the Northern Territory. It was thought that 
inland specimens growing in sandstone areas 
belonged to a related but undescribed taxon. It 
was described as Merremia species (Arnhem 
Land) in Elliot & Jones (1993) and under 
Merremia sp. B. in the Flora of the Kimberley 
Region (Wheeler & Marchant 1992). Further 
