2 ' Rauunculdcecc Clematis. 



usually numerous, seldom only 1, usually free, 1 -celled ; style 

 simple ; seeds 1 or more on the ventral suture, anatropous, erect 

 with a ventral, or pendulous with a dorsal raphe. Fruit of 

 1 -seeded achenes or many-seeded follicles. A large order 

 dispersed all over the world, not rare in the tropics. Many 

 species are acrid, and some highly poisonous, especially the 

 Aconites. 



TRIBE I.CLEMATIDE^E. 



Sepals valvate. Petals none, or narrow and staminoid. 

 Carpels numerous, 1 -seeded, indehiscent. Stem herbaceous or 

 woody and climbing. Leaves opposite. 



1. CLEMATIS. 



A noble genus of woody or herbaceous climbing plants, with 

 usually opposite, ternate, or pinnate leaves, and twining 

 petioles sometimes transformed into tendrils. Flowers in 

 terminal or axillary panicles, rarely solitary. Sepals normally 

 4, but often more numerous, especially in the cultivated 

 forms, coloured lilac, violet, or white. Petals none, or very 

 much reduced, and passing gradually into stamens, which are 

 very numerous. Carpels with persistent often beautifully 

 bearded styles, lengthening considerably after the flowers have 

 dropped. The species are numerous, and occur in the warm 

 and temperate regions of the whole world. The name is of 

 Greek origin. 



1. C. Vitdlba. Old Man's Beard, Lady's Bower. The only 

 native species ; very abundant in the South of England in 

 chalky districts. Leaves of 3 or 5 ovate variously toothed or 

 lobed leaflets. Flowers fragrant, greenish white, very nume- 

 rous, about one inch across, appearing in August, and followed 

 by the feathery carpels. 



2. C. Fldmmula. A very beautiful species with pinnate 

 leaves and small narrow lanceolate leaflets, and fragrant pure 

 white flowers rather smaller than in the preceding. This is 

 one of the commonest and oldest species in cultivation, and a 

 very elegant plant for covering arbours and walls. A native of 

 the South of Europe, flowering towards the end of Summer. 

 There are several slight varieties of this species. 



3. C. montana. Also an old inhabitant of our gardens, 

 having trifoliolate leaves on a long peduncle ; leaflets oval, more 

 or less obtusely 3-lobed, w r ith a few scattered hairs, and white 



