March_2007

Fremont's Leatherflower
Clematis fremontii

The first Tennessee population of this species was discovered in
May, 2006 near Chattanooga. It is known as a bush clematis
because the stems are erect, about 1 to 1.5 feet tall, and do not
grow as vines at all. The alternate, simple, ovate leaves
distinguish this plant from other bush clematises in our area. The
solitary flowers are terminal on the stems and are up to 1.5 inches
in length. They are lavender with four recurved tips.
Normally found in Midwestern prairies, the Tennessee and a
nearby Georgia population are disjunct from the nearest locations
in Missouri by around 300 miles. The Tennessee plants are
growing in a cedar glade, a habitat that closely resembles the
prairie where they typically grow.