Clematis ligusticifolia (ligusticifolium)
Western Clematis

Family: Ranunculaceae (Buttercup family)

Photo taken at Leavenworth Ski Hill, partially shaded area near edge of meadow and stream

Flowers:

staminate and pistilate flowers; several to many flowered in axillary panicles; sepals 6 to 15 mm; 25 to 40 stamens, 5 to 9 mm; 35 to 65 pistils

Fruit:

Leaves:

5 to 15 leaflets, opposite; petiole twining; irregularly lobed or toothed, larger ones 2 to 8 cm

Plant:

woody vine. Mashed leaves and branches were used as a headwash to kill hair root 'germs' by the Okanagan-Colville. The Thompson used the plant as a headwash for scabs and eczema. A decoction of leaves was applied to sores or boils on people or animals by the Sanpoil.

Habitat:

along streams and wet places in sagebrush desert to Ponderosa Pine forest/P>

Distribution of species:

British Columbia to northwest Mexico, east to South Dakota, New Mexico

Distribution of genus:

250 species: worldwide