Western white clematis (Plants of the Middle Rio Grande Bosque)

Western white clematis

Clematis ligusticifolia

Summary ⁸

Clematis ligusticifolia (western white clematis) is a climbing vine with showy flowers. It is native to North America where it is widespread across the western United States in streamside thickets, wooded hillsides, and coniferous forests up to 4,000 feet.

Botanical Information ⁹

Clematis ligusticifolia, or commonly known as western white clematis, pepper vine, hierba de chivo, old-man's-beard, and virgin's-bower, is a climbing vine that produces small white flowers. It is part of the Ranunculaceae family and the genus Clematis. The leaves of the western white clematis are pinnately compound. They have around 5-7 leaflets. It has a multiple stem growth form and the stems are strong and semi-woody, growing 15- 20 feet long. The female flower has both pistil and interfile stamen while the male flower only has stamen. The sepals of this flower are white, oval-lanceolate shape. It's fruits are delicate, fluffy achenes. The seeds of the western white clematis ripen from September to October.

Ecological Information ¹⁰

The western white clematis grows throughout western North America. It also can be found in British Columbia and the west side of southern Washington and Oregon, as well as in California, Nevada, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, Utah, Arizona, Texas and New Mexico. Popular native areas for this plant are New Mexico, Arizona, Texas. This plant can be found in the grey sage desert, among yellow pine, along creek bottoms (water), lakeshores, and in various forests and Ponderosa Pine Forest. It likes part shade and water and often occurs in wetland areas. They have a hard time growing in disturbed environments also because the plant is not able to grow through harsh conditions (flood, fire, tsunami, etc.).

This plant usually attracts birds, hummingbirds, bee and butterflies. Birds use the bud and sepal of the plant as a cover for their nest. The silky seed is also the perfect tool to build the network. Insects usually build their net on the surface of the leaf. Bees prefer to pollinate on the oval part of the flower.

Ethnobotanical Information ¹⁰

White western clematis is also known as the “pepper vine". People used this name in reference to the bitter, peppery taste of the stem and leaves. Native people chewed this plant as a treatment for sore throat and cold. The stem part was also used for making bags and bowstrings. A poultice of this plant has been used to treat wounds, bruises, swelling, painful joints, chest pain, and backache. The root parts have been used for shampoos. There are even reports of the mashed roots applied to horse nostrils to wake up the animals.

There is no toxic damage report of this species, but its genus has a high hazard level. Some species in this genus can cause mouth pain if eaten, causing a burning sensation and even ulcers. It can also cause a burning sensation and redness of the skin.

References ¹¹

Plants Profile for Clematis Ligusticifolia (Western White Clematis), plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=CLLI2.
Habitatdana. “Western White Clematis, Clematis Ligusticifolia.” Native Plants PNW, 4 Jan. 2016, nativeplantspnw.com/western-white-clematis-clematis-ligusticifolia/.
“Plant Database.” Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - The University of Texas at Austin, www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=clli2.
“Western Clematis, Western White Clematis.” Western Clematis, Western White Clematis: Clematis Ligusticifolia (Synonyms: Clematis Brevifolia, Clematis Ligusticifolia Var. Brevifolia, Clematis Ligusticifolia Var. Ligusticifolia, Clematis Neomexicana, Clematis Suksdorfii), science.halleyhosting.com/nature/basin/5petal/butter/clematis/ligusticifolia.htm.
“Western White Clematis - Clematis Ligusticifolia.” Web Stats, montana.plant-life.org/cgi-bin/species03.cgi?Ranunculaceae_Clematisligusticifolia.
Southwest, The American. “Clematis Ligusticifolia, Western White Clematis.” The American Southwest, www.americansouthwest.net/plants/wildflowers/clematis-ligusticifolia.html.

About the Author ¹²

Student author(s)*: Linh Chi (11th grade) from Menaul School

*The entries in this field guide have been edited by Yerba Mansa Project staff to ensure that they contain quality, fact-checked content and standardized formatting. https://yerbamansaproject.org/

Sources and Credits

(c) wingedchimera, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by wingedchimera
(c) John Rusk, some rights reserved (CC BY), https://www.flickr.com/photos/john_d_rusk/36675307666/
(c) Jim Morefield, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/127605180@N04/15984948450/
(c) Charles de Mille-Isles, some rights reserved (CC BY), https://www.flickr.com/photos/demartigny/6139036475/
(c) Jonathan Coffin, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/stonebird/43664605914/
(c) Don Davis, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), https://www.flickr.com/photos/californianativeplants/6408231411/
(c) Jonathan Coffin, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/stonebird/2677748396/
Adapted by caseynm from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clematis_ligusticifolia
Adapted by albuquerqueherbalism from a work by (c) linhchi1208, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
Adapted by albuquerqueherbalism from a work by (c) smiller33, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
Adapted by smiller33 from a work by (c) caseynm, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
Adapted by albuquerqueherbalism from a work by (c) caseynm, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)

More Info

iNat Map

Type	herbaceous, vine
Uses	medicinal, pollinator
Color	white

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