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Tropical & Subtropical Asia to Caroline Islands (Palau): Andaman Is., Assam, Bangladesh, Borneo, Cambodia, Caroline Is., China South-Central, China Southeast, East Himalaya, Hainan, India, Jawa, Laos, Lesser Sunda Is., Malaya, Maluku, Myanmar, Nepal, New Guinea, Nicobar Is., Philippines, Solomon Is., Sri Lanka, Sulawesi, Sumatera, Thailand, Tibet, Vietnam as per POWO;
Woody climbers; branchlets glabrous. Leaves 1-3-foliolate; leaflets to 18 x 14 cm, broadly ovate, acute at apex, cor; date at base, glabrous, purplish beneath; nerves 7-9; petioles 2-15 cm long, twining. Cymes 3-few flowered, trichotomous; peduncles 4-5 cm long, dark brownish hairy; bracts to 2 x 0.5 cm; pedicels to 15 cm long, ribbed. Flowers 35 mm across, creamy-white; sepals ovate, greenish-brown. Achenes to 11 x 5 mm, hairy; stigma persistent, 7 cm long.
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I have travelled extensively for studying and photographing wild flowers in the Western Ghats, but this plant alone made me do 10 trips amounting to 10,000 kms to Goa and adjoining areas in the last 10 years for its flowering to be witnessed and documented. I found several plants but not in flowers ever. A fruiting plant was shown to me by Dr. Milind Sardesai in Nov. 2007 inside Dajipur WLS near Kolhapur. The sanctuary opens on 1st November and this precious climber flowers just before that. This year I made a reckoning trek inside Dajipur and to my delight found the climber in buds. Of course I had to go back yet again after a week and there was the gorgeous profusion of flowering of this extremely rare climber. The size, beauty and the divine fragrance of flowers of Clematis smilacifolia surpassed all the disappointment of my earlier trips.
i must say that this is among the most captivating pictures of a flower i have ever seen. and hats off to your perseverance to capture this flower. once i had also followed a tree Hardwickia binata for its flowering for 4 years it is growing within our city of Chandigarh. it was not difficult but frustrating sometimes as sometimes i reached just after the flowering was over. the problem was trees were very less (4) in number. but as i am writing this all i feel about my effort is just a minuscule addition to botanical recording as its not even that rare….
You are also one of the pillars of Indiantreepix.
Hats off to you …, for your untiring efforts and determination! I think this the secret of your success!
Finally the plant had the luck to greet you with its flowers. The picture is a treat to eyes.
Place: Munnar
Date: 18 July, ’16
This could be Clematis munroiana Wight. Here are the illustrations. Not sure as more details arent available in the photos.
Thank you ! Sorry I couldn’t get more easily identifiable features in the photos, but you’re right, it does look like the Clematis munroaina Wight in the illustration. Thanks again.
Yes, of course! Thank you for sharing the link with me, …
However, I was struck by one point that … had mentioned in his post. That the plant he posted blooms just before November. The one I had clicked was in bloom in July. Then, there is a difference in colour and a slight difference in form to my eyes. What do you think?
Thank you once again for the link and information.
Please ID the plant : Clematis species ?
Photographed in Eastern ghats.
Clematis smilacifolia Wall. !
I too agree with …
Location : Mawmrang, Mizoram
Flowers appear like those of Grewia species.
Are leaves from the same plant?
No sir
For me it appears like Clematis sp.
Not of Grewia that is sure.
Kindly verify with experts for the exact species identification.
Check with Clematis smilacifolia
May I request you for the species and keys for them, reported there.
1 image.
