Merremia incisa
Nomenclature
Merremia incisa (R. Br.) Hallier f., Meded. Rijks-Herb. 1: 21. 1910.
Ipomoea incisa R. Br., Prodr.: 486 (1810).
Convolvulus incisa (R. Br.) Spreng., Syst. Veg. 1: 609 (1824). Type: Australia. Northern Territory: Carpentaria, [Morgans Island], 21 Jan 1803, R. Brown [Bennett no. 2751] (holotype BM [photo BRI]).
Ipomoea cinerascens R. Br., Prodr., 486 (1810).
Convolvulus cinerascens (R. Br.) Spreng., Syst. Veg. 1: 609 (1824). Type: Australia. Northern Territory: North Coast, [Everett Island], 4 Mar 1803, R. Brown [Bennett no. 2752] (holotype BM).
Description
Johnson, R. W. Austrobaileya 8: 55–63. 2009.
Biogeography, Ecology and Natural History
Australia (Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland). Endemic.
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.
Flowering has been recorded from January to August with fruits occurring from March to August
Johnson, R. W. Austrobaileya 8: 55–63. 2009.
Other information
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.
Merremia 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. This 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 study of the coastal and inland populations suggests they are both part of the one taxon.