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Clematis aristata

 
 
 
 

Common Name	Mountain Clematis, Austral Clematis, Old Man's Bear
Family	Ranunculaceae
Description	Woody climber, suckering to form new plants. Climbs on shrubs and tree
size	Up to 20 metres
Leaf	Leaves dull, paired with serrated edges. Juvenile - ovate shaped, purplish with white lines. Adult - divided into 3 leaflets, leaflets ovate shaped, 30-80mm long. Stalks often twisted around other stems
Flower	Creamy white 4 tepals with very prominent stamens. Clematis have one unusual feature in that the petals are aborted and the sepals take on the characteristics of petals and are termed tepals. Plants dioecious with male and female flowers on separate plants
Flower Season	October to December
Fruit
Propagation	Seed can be selected and sown in the summer when seeds have turned from green to brown or black. It can also be propagated by striking semi-hardwood cuttings under glass in high humidity. Pruning is necessary to clear crowded growth to make way for new, more vigorous growth.
Details	Clematis is a climber found in the coastal and tableland forests of the eastern states of Australia and on the edges of the eastern rainforests. It will climb to very high level (15 m plus) on trees and can also completely cover small trees and shrubs often killing them.Clematis grows best in a partial shade and deep cool soil with natural mulch. It will grow as a ground cover where there are no adjacent plants to grow up on
Attracts	Does not produce nectar but birds will eat the seed
Conservation Status	Common, not threatened
Special Note	Male & female flowers occur on separate plants (dioecious). Female flowers are followed by feathery seed heads.The flower is very similar to the Clematis glycinoides . The glycinoides has either no or very short <1mm anther appendage whereas the aristata has a noticeable anther appendage >1 mm. The Glycinoides leaf is usually untoothed but may occasionally be partly toothed whereas the Aristata mature leaf usually has a fully or part toothed edge.

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Plant in full seed

Juvenile leaf

Flower

Seed with pappas