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• Ranunculaceae
• Clematis
• Clematis virginiana

Clematis virginiana — Virginia virgin's-bower

Facts

Virginia virgin's-bower is the most common clematis in New England. The Cherokee made an infusion of virgin's-bower with milkweed (Asclepias) to treat backache, as well as using it in ceremonial medicine to induce dreaming.

Habitat

Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats), forest edges, shores of rivers or lakes, shrublands or thickets, swamps, wetland margins (edges of wetlands)

Characteristics

• Clonal plantlets

  Bulbils

  the plant does not appear to have bulbils

  Bulblets replace flowers

  there are no bulblets where the flowers are located

• Flowers

  Anther length

  0.5–1 mm

  Anther opening

  the anthers have narrow slits or furrows that run lengthwise along the anthers

  Anther spurs

  the anthers do not have spurs on them

  Calyx symmetry

  there are two or more ways to evenly divide the calyx (the calyx is radially symmetrical)

  Carpel hairs

  the carpels have hairs, but they are not thick and woolly

  Carpels fused

  the carpel is solitary or (if 2 or more) the carpels are not fused to one another

  Cilia on petals

  NA

  Cleistogamous flowers

  there are no cleistogamous flowers on the plan

  Corolla morphology

  NA

  Corolla palate

  NA

  Corona lobe length

  0 mm

  Epicalyx

  the flower does not have an epicalyx

  Epicalyx number of parts

  0

  Filament surface

  the filament is smooth, with no hairs or scales

  Flower description

  the flower has a superior ovary, and lacks a hypanthium

  Flower diameter

  20–30 mm

  Flower number

  At least 3

  Flower orientation

  the flower points upwards or is angled outwards

  Flower petal color

  NA

  Flower reproductive parts

  the flower has either only pollen- or only seed-producing parts

  Flower symmetry

  there are two or more ways to evenly divide the flower (the flower is radially symmetrical)

  Flowers sunken into stem

  no

  Fringed petal edges

  NA

  Fused stamen clusters

  NA

  Fusion of sepals and petals

  both the petals and sepals are separate and not fused

  Horns in hoods (Asclepias)

  NA

  Hypanthium

  the flower does not have a hypanthium

  Hypanthium length

  0 mm

  Inflorescence length

  Up to 150 mm

  Inflorescence one-sided

  the flowers are arrayed in a spiral around the inflorescence axis or branches, or occur singly, or in several ranks

  Inner tepals (Rumex)

  NA

  Length of flower stalk

  10–20 mm

  Length of peduncle

  20–60 mm

  Marks on petals

  • NA
  • there are no noticeable marks on the petals

  Nectar spur

  the flower has no nectar spurs

  Number of branches in umbel

  0

  Number of carpels

  40–70

  Number of pistils

  6 or more

  Number of sepals, petals or tepals

  there are four petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower

  Number of styles

  1

  Ovary position

  the ovary is above the point of petal and/or sepal attachment

  Perianth shape

  the perianth is rotate (platter-shaped, the corolla flattened, circular, with nearly horizontally spreading lobes)

  Petal and sepal arrangement

  the flower includes only one cycle of petals or sepals

  Petal and sepal colors

  white

  Petal appearance

  NA

  Petal base

  NA

  Petal folds or pleats

  • NA
  • the petals of the flower do not have folds or plaits

  Petal glandular dots or scales

  NA

  Petal hairs (Viola)

  NA

  Petal hairs on inner/upper surface

  NA

  Petal length

  0 mm

  Petal length relative to sepals

  NA

  Petal nectaries

  NA

  Petal number

  0

  Petal shape

  NA

  Petal tip shape

  • NA
  • the petal tip is acute (sharply pointed)
  • the petal tip is obtuse (bluntly pointed)
  • the petal tip is rounded

  Petal tips (Cuscuta)

  NA

  Petal width

  0 mm

  Raceme attachment (Veronica)

  NA

  Reproductive system

  all the flowers on each plant have only carpels or only stamens, with only one type being present on each plant (dioecious)

  Scales inside corolla

  NA

  Sepal and petal color

  NA

  Sepal appearance

  the sepals resemble petals in color and texture

  Sepal appendages

  the sepals do not have appendages on them

  Sepal appendages (Oenothera)

  NA

  Sepal color

  white

  Sepal length

  6–14 mm

  Sepal number

  4

  Sepal orientation

  the sepals are slightly curved outwards from the corolla

  Sepal relative length

  NA

  Sepal shape

  • the sepal outline is eliiptic (widest near the middle and tapering at both ends)
  • the sepal outline is oblanceolate (lance-shaped, but with the widest point above the middle of the leaf blade)
  • the sepal outline is oblong (rectangular, but with rounded ends)

  Sepal uniformity

  all the sepals are about the same size

  Sepals fused only to sepals

  the sepals are separate from one another

  Spur length

  0 mm

  Spur number

  NA

  Stamen attachment

  the stamens are not attached to the petals or tepals

  Stamen number

  13 or more

  Stamen position relative to petals

  NA

  Stamens fused

  the stamens are not attached to one another

  Staminodes

  • the flower has staminodes
  • there are no staminodes on the flower

  Style length

  10–30 mm

  Umbel flower reproductive parts

  NA

  Upper lip of bilabiate corolla

  NA

• Fruits or seeds

  Achene relative orientation

  • NA
  • the achenes are perpendicular to the plane of the perianth (vertical)

  Achene shape

  • the achenes are another shape in outline
  • the achenes are oval in outline

  Achene surface (Polygonum)

  NA

  Achene type

  the fruit is an achene (dry, indehiscent, and usually one-seeded)

  Berry color

  NA

  Capsule color (Viola)

  NA

  Capsule ribs

  NA

  Capsule splitting

  NA

  Carpel beak length

  0 mm

  Fruit (pyxis) dehiscence

  NA

  Fruit beak length

  25–50 mm

  Fruit cross-section

  the fruit is at least somewhat flattened

  Fruit features (Brassicaceae)

  NA

  Fruit length

  2.5–3.5 mm

  Fruit length relative to sepals

  NA

  Fruit locules

  one

  Fruit shape

  the fruit is ovoid (egg-shaped)

  Fruit type (general)

  the fruit is dry but does not split open when ripe

  Fruit type (specific)

  the fruit is an achene (dry, usually one-seeded, does not separate or split open at maturity)

  Fruit width

  1.5–2 mm

  Hair type on fruit

  the hairs on the fruits are simple (not branched), don’t have glands, and are not woolly

  Hairs on fruit

  the fruits have hairs on them

  Legumes (Fabaceae)

  NA

  Mericarp length

  0 mm

  Mericarp segment shape (Desmodium)

  NA

  Other markings on berry

  NA

  Placenta arrangement

  • marginal
  • the plant has basal placentation, where one or a few ovules develop at the base of a simple or compound ovary

  Rows of seeds in fruit (Brassicaceae)

  NA

  Schizocarpic fruit compression

  NA

  Schizocarpic fruit segments

  0

  Septum in fruit (Brassicaceae)

  NA

  prickles on fruits

  the fruits do not have thorn-like defensive structures

• Glands or sap

  Glands on leaf blade

  the leaf blades do not have glandular dots or scales

  Sap

  the sap is clear and watery

  Sap color

  the sap is clear

• Growth form

  Growth form

  the plant is a vine (it cannot support its own weight)

  Lifespan

  the plant lives more than two years

  Parasitism

  the plant is not parasitic

  Plant color

  the leaves or young stems of the plant are green

  Plants darken when dry

  no

  Spines on plant

  the plant has no spines

  Underground organs

  the plant has a rhizome (a horizontal underground stem with roots growing from it)

• Leaves

  Bracteole edges

  NA

  Bracteole length

  0 mm

  Bracteole number (Apiaceae)

  0

  Bracteole shape

  NA

  Bracteoles

  there are no bracteoles on the plant

  Bracts in plantain (Plantago)

  NA

  Final leaf segment length (compound lvs only)

  35–90 mm

  Final leaf segment length to width ratio (compound lvs only)

  1.2–2.3

  Final leaf segment width (compound lvs only)

  15–75 mm

  Floral bracts

  the flower has one or more bracts associated with it

  Hairs on underside of leaf

  the underside of the leaf is fuzzy or hairy

  Hairs on upper side of leaf

  the upper side of the leaf is not hairy, or it has very few hairs

  Hooked hairs on underside of leaf

  no

  Inflated hairs on leaf

  the leaf blade does not have inflated hairs on it

  Leaf arrangement

  opposite: there are two leaves per node along the stem

  Leaf blade base

  the leaf has a distinct leaf stalk (petiole)

  Leaf blade base shape

  • the base of the leaf blade is cordate (heart-shaped, has rounded lobes at the base)
  • the base of the leaf blade is truncate (ends abruptly in a more or less straight line as though cut off)

  Leaf blade base symmetry

  the leaf blade base is symmetrical

  Leaf blade bloom

  the underside of the leaf has no noticeable bloom

  Leaf blade edges

  • the edge of the leaf blade has teeth
  • the edge of the leaf blade is entire (has no teeth or lobes)

  Leaf blade flatness

  the leaf is flat (planar) at the edges

  Leaf blade hairs

  the leaf blade has simple hairs with no glands, and not tangled or wooly

  Leaf blade primary vein pattern

  the major veins radiate out from one point at the base

  Leaf blade shape

  • the leaf blade is cordate (heart-shaped with backward-facing rounded lobes), or sagittate (arrow-shaped with backward-facing pointed lobes)
  • the leaf blade is ovate (widest below the middle and broadly tapering at both ends)

  Leaf blade surface colors

  the upper side of the leaf blade is relatively uniform in color

  Leaf blade texture

  the leaf blade is scarious (thin and dry like paper) or membranaceous (thin and flexible and almost translucent like a membrane)

  Leaf blade vein pattern

  the major veins form a net-like pattern due to splitting and rejoining

  Leaf blade veins

  the leaf blade has three or more main veins that start at or near the leaf blade base and run from the base towards the tip (it may or may not have secondary veins)

  Leaf duration

  the leaves drop off in winter (or they whither but persist on the plant)

  Leaf form

  the leaves are green, with an expanded blade and a leaf-like texture

  Leaf hair orientation

  the hairs are standing up straight or curved in different directions

  Leaf shiny

  the upper side of the leaf is dull or slightly shiny

  Leaf spines

  there are no spines on the leaf edges

  Leaf stalk

  the leaves have leaf stalks

  Leaf stalk attachment to leaf

  the petiole attaches at the basal margin of the leaf blade

  Leaf stalk base

  the petiole base is narrow where it attaches to the stem

  Leaf stalk length

  Up to 100 mm

  Leaf teeth and lobes

  the leaf blade margin has forward-pointing teeth

  Leaf tip

  the tip of the leaf blade is acuminate (tapers to a long, thin point)

  Leaf type

  the leaves are compound (made up of two or more discrete leaflets

  Leaf types

  NA

  Leaf variation

  the leaves are nearly similar in size, prominence of teeth, and length of stalks throughout the stem

  Leaflet number

  3

  Leaflet petiolules

  the leaflets of the compound leaf have petiolules

  Leaves per node

  there are two leaves per node along the stem

  Pinnately compound leaf type

  the pinnately compound leaves have a terminal leaflet (and usually have an odd number of leaflets per axis)

  Specific leaf type

  the leaf has a row of two or more lobes on each side of the central axis

  Stipels

  there are no stipels at the bases of the petiolules

  Stipule edges

  NA

  Stipule features

  NA

  Stipule fused to leaf stalk

  NA

  Stipule length

  0 mm

  Stipule shape

  NA

  Stipules

  there are no stipules on the plant

• Place

  Habitat

  • terrestrial
  • wetlands

  New England state

  • Connecticut
  • Maine
  • Massachusetts
  • New Hampshire
  • Rhode Island
  • Vermont

  Specific habitat

  • edges of forests
  • edges of wetlands
  • man-made or disturbed habitats
  • shores of rivers or lakes
  • shrublands or thickets
  • swamps

• Scent

  Plant odor

  the plant does not have much of a smell

• Stem, shoot, branch

  Branched tendrils

  NA

  Flowering stem cross-section

  • the flowering stem has strong or sharp angles, but is not square
  • the flowering stem is circular, or with lots of small angles so that it is roughly circular

  Hair between stem nodes

  the stem has hairs between the nodes

  Hooked hairs on stem between nodes

  no

  Leaves on stem

  there is at least one full leaf above the base of the flowering stem

  Plant height

  200–700 cm

  Stem bloom

  there is no powdery or waxy film on the stem

  Stem orientation

  the stems trail at the base, but may turn upwards at the tips

  Stem roughness between nodes

  the stem does not feel rough

  Stem succulence

  the stems are not succulent

  Tendril origin

  NA

  Tendrils

  the plant does not have tendrils

  Wings on stem

  the stem does not have wings on it

Wetland status

Occurs in wetlands or non-wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FAC)

New England distribution and conservation status

From the dichotomous key of Flora Novae Angliae