Clematis viorna L.

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Credits

Article from Bean's Trees and Shrubs Hardy in the British Isles

Recommended citation
'Clematis viorna' from the website Trees and Shrubs Online (treesandshrubsonline.org/articles/clematis/clematis-viorna/). Accessed 2024-03-19.

Glossary

glabrous
Lacking hairs smooth. glabrescent Becoming hairless.
ovate
Egg-shaped; broadest towards the stem.
imparipinnate
Odd-pinnate; (of a compound leaf) with a central rachis and an uneven number of leaflets due to the presence of a terminal leaflet. (Cf. paripinnate.)
trifoliolate
With three leaflets.

References

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Credits

Article from Bean's Trees and Shrubs Hardy in the British Isles

Recommended citation
'Clematis viorna' from the website Trees and Shrubs Online (treesandshrubsonline.org/articles/clematis/clematis-viorna/). Accessed 2024-03-19.

A half-woody climber 6 to 10 ft high. Leaves mostly pinnate; leaflets, usually five, of various sizes and shapes, the basal ones largest, mostly two- or three-lobed, or trifoliolate, often heart-shaped at the base, 112 to 2 in. long and wide; the upper ones not lobed, ovate, 34 to 112 in. long; all of them without teeth and often glabrous. Flowers nodding, solitary on stiff stalks 2 or 3 in. long; sepals very thick and leathery, pointed, 1 to 114 in. long, dull reddish purple, greenish white or yellowish inside. The sepals touch and form a bell-shaped flower, slightly narrowed towards the mouth where the points are curved back. Seed-vessels with brownish feathery styles 1 in. long.

Native of the eastern United States, introduced in 1730. It is the type species of a group of Clematis whose converging sepals give an urn- or bell-shape to the flower. The stems die back in winter to the woody base of the plant. Although interesting and curious, this species is not particularly attractive.