1. Clematis robertsiana Aitch. & Hemsl. in J. Linn. Soc. 18:29. 1880. O. Kuntze, Verh. Bot. Ver. Brandenburg 26:159. 1885, Boiss., Fl. Or. Suppl. 2. 1888, Tamura in Kitam., Fl. Aghan. 123. 1960, Stewart, Ann. Catalogue Vasc. Pl. W. Pak. & Kashm. 265. 1972, Qureshi & Chaudhri in Pak. Syst. 4(1-2):139.1988.
HARALD RIEDL and YASIN J. NASIR
Naturhistorisches Museum, Botanische Abteilung, Wien, Austria.
and
National Herbarium, Pakistan Agricultural Research Council, Islamabad, Pakistan.
Climbing or prostrate shrub, soon glabrescent, with slender branches. Leaves bitemate. Leaflets 25-70 mm, stalked, ovate-lanceolate, petiolate, coarsely serrate-dentate with mucronate teeth, the terminal ones often tri-lobed, lateral ones obliquely bilobed. Flower pale-lemon, solitary, on long peduncles. Sepals up to 7.5 (-8) cm, ribbed, lanceolate, acuminate, acute or obtuse with a few scattered hairs. Staminodes lacking, but outer stamens with widened, but never subpetaloid filaments. Achenes with long silky and vinous hairs. Styles plumose-ciliate.
Fl. Per.: May-June.
Syn-types: Kurram: Shalizan stream, June 1879, Aitchison, hill north of Kaiwas, 10000'-11000', July 1879, Aitchison 733 (K).
As already stated by the authors the plant seems to be closest to Clematis alpine (L.) Miller, though the petaloid staminodes without the anthers are lacking. Characters of both true Clematis and Atragene are united in this unique species. According to Aitchison & Hemsley (l.c.) the same combination of characters is also found in the N. American Clematis verticillaris DC.
Distribution: Endemic, found only in the Kurram valley.
