2 
WILD FLOWERS OF THE BRITISH ISLES 
CLEMATIS, LINN. Flowers solitary or in clusters. Sepals 4, rarely 5-8, brightly-coloured, 
petal-like (petaloid) ; petals o ; stamens numerous ; carpels numerous, each tipped with a 
feathery style which lengthens in fruit. Fruit a head of achenes (small, dry, i-seeded fruits, 
which do not open to free the seeds, but decay), each being tipped with a long, feathery style. 
Shrubs with woody stems and opposite leaves. [Plate 2. 
Traveller’s Joy, Old Man’s Beard. (Clematis Vitalba, Linn.)— The only British 
species (as just described). The flowers growing in numerous loose clusters (panicles) ; the 
sepals 4, downy, greenish-white, like petals (petaloid) ; the woody stem often climbing to a 
considerable height by means of its twisting leaf-stalks ; the leaves opposite, and divided from 
the midrib into 3-5 egg-shaped (ovate), stalked leaflets (pinnate), which are usually coarsely 
toothed. Sweet scented. 
Common on chalky or limey soil. Hedges or among bushes. July — August. Shrub. 
MEADOW-RUE. (THALICTRUM, LINN .) — Flowers small, in terminal clusters. Sepals 4-5, 
brightly coloured (petaloid) ; petals o ; stamens numerous, yellow ; carpels few, i-seeded. 
Fruit an achene. Perennial herbs with alternate, much divided leaves, the leaf-stalks having 
stipules. 
Alpine Meadow-rue. (Thalictrum alpinum, Linn.)— As just described. The small 
drooping flowers growing in a narrow, graceful cluster ; the 4 sepals pale purplish-brown, petal-like 
(petaloid) ; the stamens numerous, long, hanging down, with bright yellow anthers ; the stem 
3-9 inches high, slender, wiry, and unbranched; the leaves stalked, divided from the base 
into three distinct stalked leaflets, which are similarly divided (bi-palmate), the leaflets being 
small, roundish, and bluntly toothed. 
Rare. Mountains in Wales, the north of England, Scotland and Ireland. July — August. 
Perennial. 
Sand-dune Meadow-rue. (Thalictrum dunense, Dum.)— The flowers small and 
drooping, in loose clusters up and terminating the stem ; the 4 sepals of a pale-purplish colour, 
like petals (petaloid); the stamens numerous with bright yellow anthers ; the stem 6-18 inches 
high, branched, wiry, furrowed ; and the leaves with stipules, divided to the midrib into distinct 
stalked leaflets, which are again and again similarly divided (tri-pinnate), the leaflets being 
triangular and toothed. 
Rare. On sandy sea-shores. June — August. Perennial. 
Hill Meadow-rue. (Thalictrum collinum, Wallr.)— A very similar species to the 
Sand-dune Meadow-rue (Thalictrum dunense), differing in having a narrower cluster of flowers, 
the flowers being more erect, and the whole plant being larger. 
Rare. Stony places, chalky banks. June — August. Perennial. 
Greater Meadow-rue. (Thalictrum majus, Crantz)— The flowers in loose leafy 
clusters terminating the stem and branches (compound raceme) ; the sepals 4, greenish-yellow, 
like petals (petaloid) ; the stamens numerous. [As described in the genus Meadow-rue 
(Thalictrum).] The stem 3 feet high, solid, branched, and leafy ; the leaves divided to the 
midrib into distinct leaflets, which are again and again similarly divided (tri-pinnate), the 
leaflets being large and variable in shape, 3-5 lobed ; with stipules. 
Very rare. In stony, damp places, chiefly in the north. July — August. Perennial. 
Koch’s Meadow-rue. (Thalictrum Kochii, Fr.)— A similar plant to the Greater 
Meadow-rue (Thalictrum dunense), but having no leaves among the flowers, a hollow stem, and 
smaller leaflets. 
