CLEMATIS 355 



between sepals and stamens. They are not conspicuous, and the sepals make 

 the chief decorative feature of the flower. Except for C. calycina and C. 

 cirrhosa, this is the earliest of this genus to blossom in the open air, the 

 flowers coming direct from the axillary buds on previous year's growth. 



Var. SIBIRICA (Atragene sibirica, Linnaus, Bpt. Mag., t 1951). Sepals 

 yellowish white. Introduced previous to the type, in 1753. 



C. APIIFOLTA, De Candolle. 



A vigorous, woody climber, deciduous, 12 to 15 ft. high, with slightly downy, 

 slender stems. Leaves mostly trifoliolate, but sometimes pinnate with the 

 basal divisions trifoliolate ; leaflets thin, broadly ovate to ovate-lanceolate, I to 

 3 ins. long, heart-shaped to tapering at the base, deeply toothed, often three- 

 lobed, nearly smooth, except for hairs on the nerves beneath. Flowers dull 

 white, f in. across, in axillary panicles 2 to 6 ins. long, produced in September 

 and October ; sepals very downy outside, spreading ; stamens smooth. Seed- 

 vessels with silky styles. 



Native of China and Japan, cultivated at Kew for nearly forty years. It is 

 not one of the most attractive species, although a vigorous grower and flower- 

 ing copiously. Allied to C. Vitalba, it lacks the beauty of that species in fruit, 

 at any rate in cultivation. The Clematis grown in gardens as "C. brevi- 

 caudata" or "C. Pieroti" is not true, but this species. 



C. ARMANDI, Franchet. 



An evergreen, climbing shrub, growing 20 to 30 ft. high, stems minutely 

 downy when quite young. Leaves composed of three leaflets, which are 

 narrowly ovate-lanceolate, rounded or slightly heart-shaped at the base, 

 pointed, not toothed, prominently three-veined, of a rich glossy green, and 

 quite smooth on both surfaces ; they vary from 3 to 6 ins. in length, and from 

 i to 2| ins. in width ; the main stalk is i^ to 4 ins. long, the secondary ones 

 \ to i in. long and twisted. Flowers 2 to 2^ ins. across, produced in April in 

 3ense axillary clusters, mostly three on a "stalk; sepals four to six, narrow 

 oblong ; about i in. long by \ in. wide, pure or creamy white, changing to rose. 

 The bases of the flower-stalks are surrounded by numerous bracts. 



Native of Central and W. China ; introduced by Wilson for Messrs Veitch 

 in 19005 and fir^t flowered by them in their nursery at Coombe Wood. It is 

 a most beautiful and distinct Clematis, and a very striking addition to our 

 scanty evergreen climbers. As regards its hardiness in this country generally, 

 it may need the protection of a wall ; but in the milder parts should be quite 

 hardy. An inferior form with sepals only half as wide is in cultivation. 



C. AROMATICA, Koch. 



A presumed hybrid between C. integrifolia and C. Flammula, and only woody 

 at ground-level, dying back every winter. It grows 4 to 6 ft. high, the stems 

 slender, the leaves pinnate and mostly composed of five leaflets, which are 

 oval or broadly ovate, unequal at the base, not toothed, and i to 2^ ins. long. 

 Flowers i to \\ ins. across, dark bluish violet, very fragrant, and produced on a 

 slightly downy stalk about 2 ins. long ; sepals four, oblong, spreading fully, 

 downy at the margins. Seed-vessels silky-hairy. It flo\vers from July to 

 September, and is a valuable plant for grouping in the herbaceous border. Its 

 origin is not precisely known, but the first place in which it is recorded as 

 being in cultivation was the Royal Gardens of Sans Souci, about the middle 

 of the nineteenth century. It is not a climber. 



