About Clematis foetida Raoul
Clematis foetida Raoul is an evergreen woody climbing vine. Its identifying features include pale yellow-green flowers that grow in clusters, measuring 2 to 3 cm across, and a strong, sweet scent when flowering. Female plants produce many achenes per flower, which form rounded white clumps of seeds. Each C. foetida leaf is composed of three oppositely arranged leaflets, with orange-yellow hairs on the leaf underside. Adult plants have smooth leaf margins, while juvenile plants have wavy or toothed margins. The full compound leaf measures approximately 2.3 to 5.5 cm long and 1.8 to 4.5 cm wide. Adult plants have flexible woody stems with pale bark that peels and shreds; juvenile plants have smoother, softer wood stems. This climbing vine can grow to 6 meters or taller, with a trunk around 6 cm in diameter. Clematis foetida is endemic to New Zealand, where it occurs across both the North and South Islands. In the North Island it is rare in the Taranaki region, and in the South Island it occurs mainly on the east coast. This species grows in lowland forests, and can grow at elevations up to 700 m above sea level. Optimal growing conditions include free-draining soil, high rainfall, sufficient airflow and low humidity, so its preferred habitat is lowland forest edges, where vegetation is more open than in deep forest, providing the airflow and drainage it needs. New growth of C. foetida begins from dispersed seed. Only female plants produce seeds, which form white, fuzzy seed heads. Flowering occurs from September to November, after which seeds are produced and dispersed. There is little recorded information on the pollination of this species, which indicates it may interact with a wide range of pollinators. Seeds are dispersed by wind: their light, fuzzy texture allows wind to carry them away, which is one reason the species requires sufficient airflow in its habitat. After dispersal, seeds germinate in soil at the end of winter, taking around two months to complete germination. Seeds have short viability when still attached to the plant, and longer viability when stored in soil. Overall, germination of soil-stored seeds typically takes 2 to 4 months. After flowering and seed production, fruiting occurs from November to January.
