Clematis

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Clematis hybrid
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Scientific classification
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Species
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Clematis (from Ancient Greek klematis, a climbing plant, probably periwinkle) is a genus of mostly vigorous climbing lianas, with attractive flowers. Some species are shrubby, and some others are herbaceous perennial plants. They are found throughout the temperate regions of both hemispheres, and also in mountains in the tropics. The cool temperate species are deciduous, but many of the warmer climate species are evergreen.

Most species are known as Clematis in English, while some are also known as traveller's joy, leather flower, vase vine and virgin's bower, the last three being names used for North American species.

One recent classification recognised 297 species of clematis. Unsurprisingly, therefore, modern taxonomists subdivide the genus. Magnus Johnson divided Clematis into 19 sections, several with subsections [1]; Christopher Grey-Wilson divided the genus into 9 subgenera, several with sections and subsections within them [2]. Several of the subdivisions are fairly consistent between different classifications, for example all Grey-Wilson's subgenera are used as sections by Johnson.

Subgenera of Clematis according to Grey-Wilson:

Clematis, Cheiropsis, Flammula, Archiclematis, Campanella, Atragene, Tubulosae, Pseudanemone, Viorna

Some of these were previously classed as separate genera.

Clematis leaves are food for the caterpillars of some Lepidoptera species, including the Willow Beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria).

Species

Purple clematis

Clematis montana

Flowers of Clematis vitalba

Seed heads of Clematis vitalba growing in a hedge, showing why it is known colloquially as "Old man's beard"

Closeup of a Clematis flower

Macro of seeds

A partial list of species:

• Clematis addisonii - Addison's Leather Flower
• Clematis albicoma - Whitehair Leather Flower
• Clematis alpina - Alpine Clematis, a hardy clematis flowering in August
• Clematis armandii - includes the 'Apple Blossom' and 'Snowdrift' cultivars.
• Clematis baldwinii - Pine Hyacinth
• Clematis bigelovii - Bigelow Clematis
• Clematis campaniflora - Portuguese Clematis
• Clematis caracasana - Clematis
• Clematis catesbyana - Satin curls
• Clematis cirrhosa - includes the 'Freckles,' 'Wisley Cream,' 'Jingle Bells,' and 'balearica' cultivars.
• Clematis coactilis - Virginia Whitehair Leather Flower
• Clematis columbiana - British Columbia Virgin's-bower
• Clematis crispa - Curly Virginsbower
• Clematis dioica - Cabellos de Angel
• Clematis drummondii - Drummond Clematis
• Clematis durandii
• Clematis flammula - Fragrant Virgin's Bower
• Clematis florida - Asian Clematis
• Clematis fremontii - Fremont's Leather Flower
• Clematis glaucophylla - Whiteleaf Leather Flower
• Clematis hirsutissima - Hairy Clematis
• Clematis integrifolia
• Clematis x jackmanii - Jackman's Clematis, also includes Polish Spirit, though this cultivar is sometimes listed under viticella
• Clematis lasiantha - Pipestem Clematis
• Clematis ligusticifolia - Virgin's Bower
• Clematis macropetala
• Clematis marmoraria - New Zealand Dwarf Clematis
• Clematis montana - Anemone Clematis
• Clematis morefieldii - Huntsville Vasevine
• Clematis occidentalis - Western Blue Virginsbower
• Clematis ochroleuca - Curlyheads
• Clematis orientalis - Chinese Clematis
• Clematis palmeri - Palmer Clematis
• Clematis pauciflora - Ropevine Clematis
• Clematis pitcheri - Bluebill
• Clematis pubescens
• Clematis recta - Ground Clematis
• Clematis reticulata - Netleaf Leather Flower
• Clematis socialis - Alabama Leather Flower
• Clematis stans - Kusabotan
• Clematis tangutica - Golden Clematis
• Clematis terniflora - Leatherleaf Clematis
• Clematis ternifolia - aka Clematis paniculata
• Clematis texensis - Scarlet Leather Flower
• Clematis versicolor - Manycolored Leather Flower
• Clematis viorna - Vasevine or Traveller's joy
• Clematis virginiana - Devil's Darning Needles, Virginia Bower
• Clematis vitalba - Traveller's Joy or Old Man's Beard
• Clematis viticaulis - Millboro Leather Flower
• Clematis viticella - Italian Clematis, may also include Polish Spirit

References

• Grey-Wilson, Christopher Clematis: The Genus : A Comprehensive Guide for Gardeners, Horticulturists and Botanists (Timber Press, 2000)
• Johnson, Magnus The Genus Clematis (Magnus Johnson Plantskola AB, 2001)
• Gardeners' Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers, Christopher Brickell ed. (Dorling Kindersley, 1989)

External links

• Clematis on the Web
• Clematis Nursery - Encyclopaedia of Clematis
• American Bells - A guide to the species in subgenus Viorna
• Clematis viorna images at bioimages.vanderbilt.edu
• Clematis virginiana images at bioimages.vanderbilt.edu