T.E.R:R.A.I.N - Taranaki Educational Resource: Research, Analysis and Information Network - Clematis (Puawhananga) Clematis paniculata

Clematis (Puawhananga) Clematis paniculata

Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Ranunculales
Family: Ranunculaceae
Genus: Clematis
Scientific name: Clematis paniculata
Common name: Puawhananga ('flower of the skies')

New Zealand has six other species of native Clematis. The others are Clematis afoliata, C. cunninghamii, C. marata, C. marmoraria, C. petriei, and C. quadribracteolata. Puawhananga is the best known of the native clematis and it is found in forest and bush throughout New Zealand. It is endemic to New Zealand (i. e. found nowhere else in the world), as are all our species of Clematis. The New Zealand species of Clematis are dioecious (bearing male and female organs on separate plants). The male plants generally bear larger, finer flowers. Clematis paniculata, like many other New Zealand plants, has distinct juvenile and adult stages. It was traditionally a harbinger of spring to Maori, for whom it was also connected with the harvest of eels, a spring event. It flowers from August to November and is found throughout New Zealand in lowland and lower montane forests. It was first collected on Cook's second voyage, by the German botanist Johannes Foerster. Maori made garlands from the flowers. C. paniculata will climb to heights of 30 or more feet and the vine can increase to a thickness of as much as 15 cm through at ground level. Leaves are three foliate, and the broadly ovate leaflets are 5 to 7.5 cm. long, entire to bluntly toothed. The leaves of seedlings and juveniles are much narrower.

Andrew Crowe in his book (Which native forest plant) described a beautiful Maori legend for these “stars of the forest”. To some tribes whauwhaupaku (the five finger tree) and puawananga were the offspring of Puanga (Rigel, the bright star of Orion) and Rehua (Antares, the bright star of Scorpion). Their rising as morning stars signals the approach of summer, the period between these two events (June to November) coinciding with the flowering, first, of whauwhaupaku and then puawananga.

Can be seen at Lat 39 3' 36.8"S Long 174 5' 45.2" E Datum WGS 84 Photograghed 3.9.09

The white male flowers