Clematis theobromina Dunn in Bull. Misc. Inf. Kew 1914: 181. 1914; Gamble, Fl. Pres. Madras 1: 3. 1915 (repr. ed. 1: 2. 1957); Vajravelu in Jain & Sastry, Indian Pl. Red Data Book 1: 141. 1984.

Climbing shrubs, glabrous. Leaves opposite, simple or pinnately 3-foliolate; lamina large, up to 20 cm long, ovate or ovate-elliptic, acute, rounded or subcordate or subpeltate at base, 5 - 9-nerved. Inflorescence axillary or terminal, 1 - 5-flowered panicles; bracts foliaceous. Sepals 4 - 6, petaloid, spreading, oblong, obtuse velvety brown tomentose outside, densely villous inside with golden brown hairs. Filaments glabrous; connectives not or slightly produced. Achenes hairy with long feathery tails.

Fl. & Fr. Nov. - Mar.

Distrib. India: Evergreen forests, 1800 - 2400 m. Tamil Nadu (Nilgiri hills).

Endemic, rare and threatened.

Notes. Chromosome no. n = 24 (Shobha & Ramachandran in Taxon 29:165. 1980).