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Clematis crispa L.
Swamp Leather-flower
Florida native
This perennial climbing or trailing vine of floodplain forests and wet hammocks is found throughout the Florida panhandle and most counties of the northern and central peninsula. The range extends throughout the southeastern United States, west into Texas and Oklahoma, and north into Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky and Virginia.
Lacking petals, the four petallike sepals are bluish-purple, with crispate edges and often reflexed tips. The flowers are solitary, nodding at the end of long pedicels. The leaves are opposite, pinnately compound, usually with 3-5 linear to ovate leaflets, but sometimes more.
Seven species of Clematis occur in Florida. One is an erect herb and the other six are vines.
Clematis crispa is a member of the Ranunculaceae - Buttercup family.
Other species of the Clematis genus in the Wild Florida Photo database:
Clematis catesbyana - SATINCURLS
Clematis reticulata - NETLEAF LEATHER-FLOWER
Clematis terniflora - SWEET AUTUMN VIRGINSBOWER
Clematis virginiana - VIRGINSBOWER
Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants (Institute for Systemic Botany) profile for this species
iNaturalist profile for this species
USDA Plant Profile for this species
Date record last modified: Feb 22, 2024
