Clematis quadribracteolata
Common names
clematis
Biostatus
Native – Endemic taxon
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Lianes & Related Trailing Plants - Dicotyledons
Simplified description
Vine with small, entire to three-lobed leaflets and purplish coloured flowers.
Flower colours
Red/Pink, Violet/Purple
Detailed description
Evergreen slender, low-growing woody climber; branchlets grooved, glabrous or finely puberulent when young. Leaves 1.5–3–(4.5) × 0.5–2–(3) cm, simple to 3-foliate, opposite; petioles 1–2.5–(3.5) cm long. Leaflets sparsely hairy on petiole and petiolule; petiolules c. 5–10 mm long; midvein and secondary veins inconspicuous above and below; leaflet variable, glabrous above and below, lamina 1–11 mm long, simple, trifid or with basal lobe, broadly spathulate, usually entire, thin, brownish green, tip acute to obtuse, base truncate to subcordate, undersides paler. Juvenile leaves larger, thinner. Inflorescences unisexual, inconspicuous against foliage, soliatry or in 2–3-flowered clusters in leaf axils, up to 8 cm long; inflorescence bracts elliptic, obtuse to hooded, 2-3 paired, connate, hairy. Flowers dull light purple, strongly scented; ♂ to 1 cm diameter, sepals 4, linear-lanceolate, obtuse, imbricate, glabrous above, +/- silky hairy beneath, 5–15 × 1–2 mm, purplish to reddish brown; stamens 25–28, anthers 0.5–1.5 mm long, filaments glabrous., up to 1 cm long; ♀ sepals 4, generally darker and hairier than male, otherwise similar; carpels 22–24; staminodes few. Achenes hairy, elliptic, narrowed to apex, compressed, margin thickened and distinct, surface unornamented, (2.2)–2.8–3.5–(3.8) mm long, styles (12)–15–25–(35) cm long at fruiting, white-plumose for most of length, glabrous or with short hairs at base.
Similar taxa
The wider green hairy sepals (petals are not present in Clematis species) distinguish Clematis marata from the very similar C. quadribracteolata, which has narrow purple sepals that are glabrous on the inner surface. When not in flower they are more difficult to distinguish, but C. marata leaflets and branchlets are hairier. The distribution of these two species overlaps throughout eastern South Island.
Distribution
Endemic. New Zealand: North Island (from Waitomo and the Bay of Plenty south to eastern Wairarapa), South Island (Nelson, Marlborough, Westland, Canterbury, Otago and Southland).
Mainly in the drier east.
Habitat
Lowland to subalpine. A species favouring grey scrub, frost flats and forest margins.
Current conservation status
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2022-2023 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Previous assessments can be found here.
- Conservation status of vascular plants in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2023. 2024. Peter J. de Lange, Jane Gosden, Shannel P. Courtney, Alexander J. Fergus, John W. Barkla, Sarah M. Beadel, Paul D. Champion, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Troy Makan and Pascale Michel Department of Conservation. Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2023 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: Sp, DPR, DPS, DPT
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Taxonomic notes
Clematis marata and C. quadribracteolata were treated by Allan (1961) as parts of a variable complex. Joe Cartman showed that they are distinct species, and provided descriptions in Canterbury Botanical Society Journal 20: 36-37 (1986).
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
September–October
Fruiting
November–December
Life cycle and dispersal
Pappate achenes are dispersed by wind (Thorsen et al., 2009).
Propagation technique
Easily grown. However, on account of its inconspicuous foliage, and dull-coloured flowers it is not very popular with most gardeners. Best grown up through a divaricating shrub. Like all clematis, this species does best planted in a permanently damp, fertile soil, in a site where its root stock can remain shaded, and its stems can grow up into the sunlight.
Wetland plant indicator status rating
Information derived from the revised national wetland plant list prepared to assist councils in delineating and monitoring wetlands (Clarkson et al., 2021 Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research Contract Report LC3975 for Hawke’s Bay Regional Council). The national plant list categorises plants by the extent to which they are found in wetlands and not ‘drylands’. The indicator status ratings are OBL (obligate wetland), FACW (facultative wetland), FAC (facultative), FACU (facultative upland), and UPL (obligate upland). If you have suggestions for the Wetland Indicator Status Rating, please contact: [Enable JavaScript to view protected content]
UPL: Obligate Upland
Rarely is a hydrophyte, almost always in uplands (non-wetlands).
Other information
Etymology
clematis: From the Greek klema ‘vine’, alluding to the vine-like habit of many species
NVS code
The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.
CLEQUA
Chromosome number
2n = 16
Previous conservation statuses
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2022-2023 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Previous assessments can be found here.
- Conservation status of vascular plants in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2023. 2024. Peter J. de Lange, Jane Gosden, Shannel P. Courtney, Alexander J. Fergus, John W. Barkla, Sarah M. Beadel, Paul D. Champion, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Troy Makan and Pascale Michel Department of Conservation. Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2017 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: DP, Sp
2012 | Not Threatened
2009 | Not Threatened
2004 | Not Threatened
Regional conservation statuses
The regional threat classification system leverages off the national assessments in the NZTCS, providing information relevant for the regional context. Otago conservation status information is sourced from the “Regional conservation status of indigenous vascular plants in Otago” Jarvie S et al. (2024) report.
Otago: 2024 | Threatened – Regionally Critical | Qualifiers: DPR, DPS, DPT, PF, Sp
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Allan HH. 1961. Flora of New Zealand, Volume I. Indigenous Tracheophyta: Psilopsida, Lycopsida, Filicopsida, Gymnospermae, Dicotyledones. Government Printer, Wellington, NZ. 1085 p.
Eagle A. 2006. Eagle’s complete trees and shrubs of New Zealand. Te Papa Press, Wellington, NZ. 2-volume boxed set: vol. 1 pp 1–529; vol. 2: pp 532–1114.
Thorsen MJ, Dickinson KJM, Seddon PJ. 2009. Seed dispersal systems in the New Zealand flora. Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics 11: 285–309. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ppees.2009.06.001.
Webb CJ, Sykes WR, Garnock-Jones PJ. 1988. Flora of New Zealand, Volume IV. Naturalised Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms, Dicotyledons. Botany Division, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Christchurch, NZ. 1365 p.
Webb CJ, Simpson MJA. 2001. Seeds of New Zealand Gymnosperms and Dicotyledons. Manuka Press, Christchurch, NZ. 428 p.
Attribution
Description adapted from Allan (1961), Webb et al. (1988), Eagle (2000), and Webb and Simpson (2001).
Some of this factsheet information is derived from Flora of New Zealand Online and is used under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 New Zealand licence.