FLORA AND SYLVA 
CLEMATIS MONTANA var. 
RUBENS.* 
This well-marked variety of an old fav- 
ourite was first made known from speci- 
mens collected in the mountains of 
western Hupeh, central China, by Dr. 
Henry, and first described by Otto 
Kuntze in F erha?idLBot.Ver.Bra?idejt- 
burg^ 1884, p. 142. I rediscovered it 
in the same region as Dr. Henry and sent 
seeds to Messrs. Veitch in the autumn of | 
1 90 1 , and plants raised from these seeds 
flowered at Coombe Wood in the spring 
of 1903. The variety differs from the 
type not only in the colour of its i 
flowers but also in that of its leaves 
and young shoots, which are dark and 
distinctly reddish. It is of the same 
free-growing and free-flowering nature 
and is equally hardy. Its value as a 
new and distinct plant for gardens was 
seen when exhibited at the Royal Horti- 
cultural Society on May 2 3 last, when 
the plant was awarded a First-class 
certificate. 
This variety is interesting as being 
the only striking variation from the 
common white form, which extends 
from the western Himalaya (Kashmir) 
to the mountains of western China, 
where it is abundant at elevations of 
6,000 to 1 1,000 feet. It is often associ- 
ated with Rhododendrons, trailing over 
them and enhancing their beauty. The 
white form does not occur in Hupeh 
(central China) neither does the variety 
occur in western China, each occupy- 
ing its own area and (so far as the re- 
searches of Henry and myself extend) 
never associated with the other. All 
Henry's specimens in the Kew herb- 
arium, including his No. 10,748 from 
Yunnan, belong to the variety rubens. 
In the mountains of western Hupeh 
between 5 ,000 and 9,000 feet, the rose- 
coloured variety is quite common. It 
occurs in the open glades but is more 
abundant on scrub -clad mountain- 
sides, trailing over bushes. It flowers 
in the latter part of May and is then very 
pretty. The Chinese call it the "Ta- 
huai-t'ung." Hitai-f tmg is a more or 
less general name for Clematis, and Ta 
signifies great. It is a great pity that 
Clematis alpina grows so weakly, for 
otherwise it and the white and rose forms 
of monta7iawou\d.vmkQ: a charming trio 
of early-flowering Clematis. 
E. H. WILSON. 
THE HARDY WILD CLEMATIS. 
SoM E of the smaller and less grown Clem- 
atis are more precious for the garden of 
hardy flowers than the larger hybrids. 
The wild Clematis of the world form a 
group of well over 200 kinds and by 
far the greater number come from tem- 
perate and mountain regions and are 
therefore quite at home with us. These 
graceful climbers with their rapid growth 
and freedom of flower, their hardiness 
and beauty, deserve more care and space 
than is often given to them. For clothing 
walls and pergolas, for summer bowers 
and graceful arches, for all soils and posi- 
tions — even in half-shade, these wild 
Clematis serve us well, while by a selec- 
tion of kinds planted in well chosen 
places, one or other may be had in beauty 
of flower,or fruit almost from year's end 
to year's end. The beauty of these free- 
With a coloured plate from a drawing by H. G. Moon in the Botanic Garden, Cambridge. 
