Plate 81.
CLEMATOPSIS stanleyi.
Transvaal. Tropical Africa.
Ranunculaceae. Tribe Clematideae.
Clematopsis, Bojer MS. ex Hutchinson in Kew Bulletin, 1920, p. 12.
Clematopsis Stanleyi, Hutchinson in Kew Bulletin, 1920, p. 21.
Clematis Stanleyi, Harv. in Harv. and Sond. Fl. Cap., vol. i. p. 2.
In the Botanical Magazine (t. 7166) 1891, an excellent figure of this species was given with some critical notes by Sir Joseph Hooker on the taxonomic affinities of the species, and recently (Kew Bulletin, 1920) Mr. J. Hutchinson dealt more fully with the group represented by our plant. He has established Bojer’s MS. name Clematopsis, under which he describes 15 species of which only C. Stanleyi occurs within our limits. The separation of Clematopsis from Clematis is based on the aestivation of the sepals and for a full account of these differences the reader is referred to Mr. Hutchinson’s article. The chief interest in the genus is the fact that it forms a connecting link between the tribes Anemoneae and Clematideae, which were hitherto supposed to be sharply demarcated. It is confined to the ancient plateau of Africa and its continuation in Madagascar.