Pitcher's leatherflower
Clematis pitcheri
Unlike most clematis species with wide, flat petals, this plant features thick, fleshy, urn-shaped sepals that protect its reproductive organs from rain.
- Scientific name
- Clematis pitcheri
- Taxonomy
- Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Ranunculales › Ranunculaceae › Clematis
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Moist deciduous woods, thickets, rocky slopes, and riparian forest edges.
- Diet
- Autotroph (Photosynthesis)
- Range
- United States, Midwest US, Southern US
- Size
- Climbing vine extending 2 to 4 meters (6 to 13 feet) in length.
- Lifespan
- Perennial vine living 5 to 15+ years.
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Habitat fragmentation, displacement by invasive woody vines, and roadside herbicide spraying.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless to observe, but defensive if handled roughly. The plant's sap contains protoanemonin, which can cause mild skin irritation or blistering in sensitive individuals. Maintain a safe distance of a few feet to admire, and do not ingest any part of the plant. If skin contact occurs, wash the area thoroughly with soap and water.
Clematis pitcheri is a species of flowering plant in the buttercup family known by the common name bluebill . It is found in the south-central United States.
Photo: Lexi Destria, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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