Clematis glaucophylla Small

White Leaf Leather Flower

Vine

Perennial

Vascular

White Leaf Leather Flower is a native herbaceous perennial in the Buttercup family (Ranunculaceae). It is native to scattered locations across Alabama. White Leaf Leather Flower occurs on rock outcrops, along forest edges, in forest openings, and along streams in areas with neutral or basic soils. It is a perennial from a rhizome. Stems are vines up to 15 feet in length, climbing or sprawling by means of tendril-like petioles and leaf rachises. Stems are glabrous and green in color when young, becoming reddish-brown with age. Leaves are opposite, petiolate, 1-pinnate with 4-10 leaflets. The leaflets are ovate in outline, thin, not reticulate, glabrous, and glaucous on the lower surface. Flowers are produced in 1-3 flowered axillary inflorescences. The peduncle has two leaf-like bracts about 1/3 of the distance from the base. Flowers are bell-shaped and lack petals. The sepals are dark rose-pink on the exterior and pale yellow-white on the interior with recurved tips. The margins are thick and not crispate. The fruit is an aggregate of sessile achenes with long beaks. The achene body is appressed pubescent and the beak is plumose. White Leaf Leather Flower is listed as an S2/S3 species in Alabama (typically 6 to 100 occurrences making it very vulnerable in the state) and globally as a G3/G4 species (imperiled globally because of rarity). White Leaf Leather Flower is available from some wildflower nurseries. It prefers a rich loamy soil and partial to full sun. Plants will require a fence, trellis, or post for climbing.—A. Diamond

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Native FAC- (NWPL) S2S3 (State Rank) G3G4 (Global Rank)

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