Magazine (1917) Page(s) tab 8702.
Clamatis Fargesii, var. souliei.
China
Ranunculaceae. Tribe Clematideae.
Clematis, Linn. ; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant, vol. i. p. 3.
Clematis Fargesii, Franch., var. Souliei, Finet et Gagnepain in Bull. Soc. Bot. France, vol. i. p. 523 (1903), et Contrib. Fl. As. Or. fasc. i. p. 8 (1905) ; Rehder et Wils. in Sargent, PI. Wilson, pars iii. p. 336 (1913) ; a typo foliolis angustioribus basi late cuneatis vel rotundatis parce pubescentibus, filamentis antberis multo longioribus differt.
Frutex scandens ; ramuli sulcati, juniores breviter tomentosi, demum parce pubescentes, rubro-purpurascentes. Folia biternata, usque ad 20 cm. longa et 15 cm. expansa, tenuiter chartacea, utrinque parce adpresse pubescentia ; foliola lateralia terminali multo minora, plus minusve ovata, 2-3 cm. longa, 1-2 cm. lata, inaequaliter lobulato-dentata vel interdum sublobata, dentibus ovatis acute mucronatis ; foliola terminalia sessilia vel petiolulata, ovato-lanceolata, subtriloba, acute acuminata, basi rotundata vel breviter cuneata, 3-5 cm. longa, 2-4.5 cm. lata; nervi supra impressi, infra prominentes, adscendentes, laxe ramosi. Pedunculi axillares, 1-2-flori, foliis plerumque multo breviores, supra medium bracteolati, parce pubescentes, bracteolis minimis oppositis ; pedicelli ultimi 2.5-4.5 cm. longi, graciles. Alabastra ovoidea, obtusa, 1.5 cm. longa. Sepala 6, alba, extra flavo-tincta, obovata, apice acute mucronata, 2.5-3 cm. longa, 2-2.5 cm. lata, extra breviter pubescentia. Stamina glabra, stylis paullo longiora, filamentis linearibus complanatis vix 1 cm. longis, antheris 3-3.5 mm. longis dilute flavis. Achaenia numerosa, late ovoidea, compressa, glabra, apice in stylum dense villosum attenuata.— Clematis Souliei, Francb. ex Finet et Gagnepain, I.c., nomen. — J. Hutchinson.
The Clematis which forms the subject of our illustration is a native of western Szechuan, where it is found in woodlands, but w here it appears to occur somewhat sparingly. At one time thought to be a distinct species, C. Souliei, Franch., it has recently been regarded as only a form of C. Fargesii, Franch., also a native of south- western China, and indeed to differ but slightly from that plant, as originally described, in having filaments considerably longer than the anthers, and perhaps also in having the leaflets more rounded or more widely cuneate at the base. C. Fargesii is a member of the Vitalba group of species ; within that group it is readily distinguished by its one- or two-flowered axillary peduncles and by its large and conspicuous flowers. The plant from which the material for our figure was obtained was raised at Kew from seeds received from the Arnold Arboretum in 1912. It flowered for the first time in 1915 ; the specimen figured Was gathered in 1916. Plants continue in flower from June to September ; they grow vigorously in a loamy soil, give every evidence of being hardy in our climate and develop sufficient seeds to make propagation easy. As a climbing shrub for gardens this Clematis will be valued for the pure whiteness and delicate satiny texture of its flowers.
Description. — Shrub, climbing; twigs sulcate, shortly tomentose when young, ultimately sparingly pubescent, reddish -purple. Leaves 2-ternate, up to 8 in. long, 6 in. wide, thinly chartaceous, sparingly adpressed-pubescent on both surfaces ; lateral leaflets much smaller than the terminal, more or less ovate, 3/4-1 1/4 in. long, 1/3-3/4 in. wide, unequally lobulately toothed or at times almost lobate, the teeth ovate, acute and mucronate ; end-leaflet sessile or petiolulate, ovate-lanceolate, almost 3-lobed, acutely acuminate, base rounded or shortly cuneate, 1 1/4-2 in. long, 3/4-1 3/4 in. wide ; nerves sunk above, raised beneath, ascending, laxly branched. Peduncles axillary, 1-2-flowered, usually much shorter than the leaves, bracteolate above the middle, sparingly pubescent, the bracteoles very small, opposite ; pedicels beyond the bracteoles 1-1 3/4 in. long, slender. Buds ovoid, blunt, 2/3 in. long. Sepals 6, white, tinged outside with yellow, obovate, sharply mucronate, 1-1 1/4 in. long, 3/4-1 in. wide, shortly pubescent externally. Stamens glabrous, rather longer than the styles ; filaments linear, flattened, about 1/3 in. long, nearly thrice as long as the pale yellow anthers. Achenes numerous, wide-ovoid, compressed, glabrous, narrowed at the tip into the densely villous style.
Tab. 8702.— Fig. 1 and 2, stamens ; 3, carpel ; 4, young achene :— all enlarged.
