Clematis connata
DC., Prodr. 1: 4. 1824; Hook. f. & Thomson in Fl. Brit. India
1: 6. 1872.
Large woody climbers, climbing by means of petioles; branches sulcate, glabrous,
brownish. Leaves pinnate, 10 -
30 cm long; petiole-base winged, connate, forming 5 -
12
mm broad collar around the node; leaflets 3 -
7, distant, simple or somewhat 2 -
3 -lobed,
broadly ovate-cordate, elliptic or ovate-lanceolate, broadly rounded or cordate at base,
sharply serrate, acute to acuminate at apex, 5 -
12 x 1.5 -
8 cm, glabrous or somewhat
pubescent along nerves beneath, often with scattered hairs on both surfaces; basal nerves
1 - 6. Inflorescence a cymosely flowered 4 -
10 cm long panicle; peduncles 3 -
5 cm long;
bracts lanceolate, often trilobed, 1 - 16 x 0.25 - 1.8 cm hairy on both surfaces, without
ribs; pedicels up to 4 cm long; flowers nearly 5 cm across, showy, light yellowish creamy
or white. Sepals 4, erect, not ribbed, ovate, acute, recurved or revolute at tips, 1 -
2 x
0.5 -
1 cm, brown outside, yellowish pubescent. Stamens 7.5 -
8 mm long; filaments
linear, hairy; anthers ca 3 mm long. Achenes ovate or obovate, compressed, pubescent,
with up to 5 cm long feathery silky hairy tails.
KEY TO THE VARIETIES
| 1a. Leaves 3 - 7-foliolate; leaflets broadly ovate with cordate base, 5 - 10 x 1.5 - 9 cm; sepals oblong-ovate | 9.1. connata |
| b. Leaves 5 - 7-foliolate; leaflets lanceolate, slightly cordate at base, 5 - 8 x 1.5 - 3.2 cm; sepals lanceolate | 9.2. lanceolata |
