Archiclematis and Naravelia: Clematis × Jackmanii
Archiclematis and Naravelia: Clematis × Jackmanii
Archiclematis and Naravelia: Clematis × Jackmanii
Their
garden hybrids have been popular among gardeners,[7] beginning with Clematis × jackmanii, a garden
standby since 1862; more hybrid cultivars are being produced constantly. They are mainly of Chinese
and Japanese origin. Most species are known as clematis in English, while some are also known
as traveller's joy, a name invented for the sole British native, C. vitalba, by the herbalist John
Gerard; virgin's bower for C. terniflora, C. virginiana, and C. viticella; old man's beard, applied to
several with prominent seedheads; leather flower for those with fleshy petals; or vase vine for the
North American Clematis viorna.
The genus name is from Ancient Greek clématis, ("a climbing plant"). Over 250 species
and cultivars are known, often named for their originators or particular characteristics.
The genus is composed of mostly vigorous, woody, climbing vines / lianas. The woody stems are quite
fragile until several years old.[7] Leaves are opposite and divided into leaflets and leafstalks that twist and
curl around supporting structures to anchor the plant as it climbs. [7] Some species are shrubby, while
others, like C. recta, are herbaceous perennial plants. The cool temperate species are deciduous, but
many of the warmer climate species are evergreen. They grow best in cool, moist, well-drained soil in
full sun.[8]
Clematis species are mainly found throughout the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, rarely
in the tropics. Clematis leaves are food for the caterpillars of some Lepidoptera species, including
the willow beauty (Peribatodes rhomboidaria).
The timing and location of flowers varies; spring-blooming clematis flower on side shoots of the previous
year's stems, summer/fall blooming clematis bloom only on the ends of new stems, and twice-flowering
clematis do both.[7]
The genus Clematis was first published by Carl Linnaeus in Species Plantarum in 1753,[9] the first
species listed being Clematis viticella. The genus name long pre-dates Linnaeus. It was used
in Classical Greek for various climbing plants, and is based on κλήμα (klēma), meaning vine or tendril. [10]
Archiclematis and Naravelia[edit]
Some morphologically distinctive taxa lacking the combination of characters defining Clematis were
formerly segregated as the genera Archiclematis (1 species) and Naravelia (several species). DNA
sequence studies have found that these two genera are deeply nested in Clematis, the morphological
characters they were erected on being either reversals or misinterpretations, and that consequently the
genera should be reduced to the synonymy of Clematis. Naravelia is a monophyletic group
within Clematis.[11][12][13]
Species to be transferred include
Purple clematis
Clematis armandii
Clematis 'Multi Blue'
Clematis florida
C. montana
Seed heads of C. vitalba growing in a hedge, showing why it is known colloquially as "old man's beard"
Achenes
Fruits of C. dioica in Guanacaste, Costa Rica
C. terniflora seed cluster