About Clematis ligusticifolia Nutt. ex Torr. & A.Gray
Scientific Name and Growth Form
Clematis ligusticifolia Nutt. ex Torr. & A.Gray is a climbing, spreading vine that bears showy flowers.
Common Names
It goes by multiple common names: old-man's beard, yerba de chiva, and virgin's bower.
Common Name Homonymy
Note that the name old-man's beard can also refer to Clematis vitalba, and virgin's bower can also refer to Clematis lasiantha.
Native Range
This species is native to North America, and is widespread across the western United States.
Habitat and Elevation
It grows in streamside thickets, wooded hillsides, and coniferous forests at elevations up to 8,500 feet (2,600 m).
Historical Common Name
Early travelers and pioneers of the American Old West called this plant "pepper vine".
Historical Culinary Use
They used it as a substitute for pepper to flavor food, because real black pepper (Piper nigrum) was costly and rarely available in that region and time.
Irritant Compounds
Like all other species in the genus Clematis, this plant contains essential oils and compounds that are extremely irritating to the skin and mucous membranes.
Ingestion Risks
Unlike the compounds found in black pepper or Capsicum, the compounds in this clematis can cause internal bleeding of the digestive tract if ingested in large amounts.
Toxicity
Large enough amounts of this plant are toxic when consumed, and it can also be toxic to small animals.
Traditional Medicinal Uses (Internal)
Native Americans used very small amounts of this clematis to treat migraine headaches and nervous disorders.
Traditional Medicinal Uses (Skin)
It was also used as an effective treatment for skin infections.
Traditional Medicinal Preparations
A hot water extract made from the whole plant was used to treat eczema, and a leaf compress was applied to treat chest pain, sores, and boils.
Reproductive Morphology
This species is dioecious, meaning male and female flowers grow on separate individual plants.
