Clematis

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Wikipedia:How to read a taxobox
How to read a taxobox
Clematis
Clematis hybrid
Clematis hybrid
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Ranunculales
Family: Ranunculaceae
Genus: Clematis
Dill. ex L.
Species

See text.

Clematis 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.

Clematis (Viticella Group) 'Etoile Violette' (F.Morel 1885)
Clematis (Viticella Group) 'Etoile Violette' (F.Morel 1885)

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.

[edit] Species

Purple clematis
Purple clematis
Clematis montana
Clematis montana
Flowers of Clematis vitalba look different from most other Clematis
Flowers of Clematis vitalba look different from most other Clematis
Seed heads of Clematis vitalba growing in a hedge, showing why it is known colloquially as "Old man's beard"
Seed heads of Clematis vitalba growing in a hedge, showing why it is known colloquially as "Old man's beard"

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 - one of two evergreen Clematis species (the other is C. cirrhosa); it 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 - one of two evergreen Clematis species (the other is C. armandii); it 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
  • 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 recta - Ground Clematis
  • Clematis reticulata - Netleaf Leather Flower
  • Clematis socialis - Alabama Leather Flower
  • 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 - The flowers of this species are eaten by the larvae of moths including The V-Pug and Double-striped Pug and the leaves by Willow Beauty.
  • Clematis viticaulis - Millboro Leather Flower
  • Clematis viticella - Italian Clematis

[edit] 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)

[edit] External links