Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Ranunculales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Clematis terniflora
FAMILY
Ranunculaceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
You may also want to check Trees, Shrubs, and Woody Vines of North Carolina
Check out EDDMapS.org to see where this has been reported.
Learn more about Japanese Virgin's-bower from the Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Clematis terniflora
FAMILY
Ranunculaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America
Clematis terniflora
INCLUDING & INCLUDED WITHIN (MISAPPLIED) VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 076-10-006:
Clematis dioscoreifolia FAMILY Ranunculaceae
(?) Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Clematis paniculata
COMMON NAME:
Sweet Autumn Clematis, Yam-leaved Clematis, Sweet Autumn Virgin's Bower, Japanese Virgin's-bower
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
)
JK Marlow jkm200411_3740
April Greenville County SC
Tall Pines Wildlife Management Area
)
JK Marlow jkm0308i_01
August Alamance County NC
)
Keith Bradley kab_c_terniflora_1555
August Lexington County SC
Three Rivers Greenway
)
Roxanna Martin rlm81610_6
August Spartanburg County SC
)
Roxanna Martin rlm81910_148
August Spartanburg County SC
)
Richard and Teresa Ware rtw_c_terniflora_13
August
Both this & C. virginiana have 4 white oval spreading sepals about 1/2" long, per Wildflowers of the Southern Mountains (Smith, 1998).
)
JK Marlow jkm100903_596
September Greenville County SC
Swamp Rabbit Trail
Flowers numerous, in compound cymose-paniculate inflorescences, per Weakley's Flora.
)
JK Marlow s060901_a
September Greenville County SC
Roadside
With 3 to 5 entire leaflets, the terminal one long-stalked, per Wildflowers of the Southern Mountains (Smith, 1998).
)
JK Marlow jkm0511a_37
November Haywood County NC
Corneille Bryan Native Garden
Fruit a cluster of achenes with long curved feather-like tails (styles), per Woody Plants of the Blue Ridge (Lance).
COMPARE
fruits that are an aggregate of achenes
)
JK Marlow jkm101120_266
November Greenville County SC
Lake Conestee Nature Park
Similar to C. virginiana but with 3-5 thickened entire leaflets, per Woody Plants of the Blue Ridge (Lance).
COMPARE
leaves of Clematis species
)
Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org bug_5447370
Month Unknown
)
Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org bug_5447400
Month Unknown
)
Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org bug_5447405
Month Unknown
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Clematis terniflora
FAMILY
Ranunculaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Clematis terniflora
FAMILY
Ranunculaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Flora of North America
Clematis terniflora
INCLUDING & INCLUDED WITHIN (MISAPPLIED)
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 076-10-006:
Clematis dioscoreifolia
FAMILY
Ranunculaceae
(?)
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Clematis paniculata
338
Woody vine
Perennial
Habitat: Disturbed areas, per Weakley's Flora
Non-native: east Asia (Japan, China, Korea)
Common in NC Piedmont, rare in GA Mountains (uncommon elsewhere in GA-NC-SC)
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
Click here to see a map showing all occurrences known to SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria. (Zoom in to see more detail.)
This plant is causing problems in natural areas outside its native range, according to authorities such as:
- Alabama Invasive Plant Council, 2012
- Georgia Exotic Pest Plant Council, 2006
- Kentucky Exotic Pest Plant Council, 2013
- SC Exotic Pest Plant Council, 2014
- Tennessee Exotic Pest Plant Council, 2009
LEAVES:
Pinnately compound: 3-5 leaflets
Opposite
FLOWER:
Summer/Fall
White
Radially symmetrical
4 petaloid sepals
Petals absent
Numerous stamens
Superior ovary
Bisexual
Flowers in axillary clusters
FRUIT:
Summer/Fall
Brownish
Aggregate of achenes
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
- Guide to the Wildflowers of SC, 2nd ed. (McMillan, Porcher, Rayner, & White; 2022) p515
- Invasive Plants, Guide to Identification, Impacts and Control (Kaufman & Kaufman, 2007) p224
- Field Guide to the Wildflowers of Georgia (Chafin, 2016) p304
- Wildflowers of Tennessee (Carman, 2005) p036
- Wildflowers of Tennessee, the Ohio Valley, and the Southern Appalachians (Horn, Cathcart, Hemmerly, & Duhl, 2005) p057
- Woody Plants of the Blue Ridge (Lance) p05
- Woody Plants of the Southeastern US: A Winter Guide (Lance, 2004) p104
- Wildflowers of the Southern Mountains (Smith, 1998) p045
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