Stems erect, not viny, 1.5-6.5 dm, hirsute (sometimes sparsely so in var. hirsutissima) or densely short, soft-pubescent to nearly glabrous. Leaf-blade 2-3-pinnate; leaflets often deeply 2-several-lobed, if lobed than lateral lobes usually small and distinctly narrower than central portion, leaflets or lobes linear to lanceolate, 1-6 × 0.05-1.5 cm, thin, not prominently reticulate; surfaces sparsely to densely silky-hirsute, not glaucous. Inflorescences terminal, flowers solitary. Flowers broadly cylindric to urn-shaped; sepals very dark violet-blue or rarely pink or white, oblong-lanceolate, 2.5-4.5 cm, margins narrowly expanded distally, 0.5-2 mm wide, thin, distally ± crisped, tomentose, tips obtuse to acute, slightly spreading, abaxially usually densely hirsute, occasionally moderately so. Achenes: bodies densely long-pubescent; beak 4-9 cm, plumose.

Distribution

North America

Discussion

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

The varieties of Clematis hirsutissima, although highly dissimilar in their extreme forms, intergrade extensively in Wyoming, Colorado, and Utah.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Clematis hirsutissima var. hirsutissima, Clematis hirsutissima var. scottii

Key

1	Leaflets and lobes linear to narrowly lanceolate, 0.5–6(–10) mm wide.	Clematis hirsutissima var. hirsutissima
1	Leaflets and lobes narrowly to broadly lanceolate or ovate, 5–15 mm wide.	Clematis hirsutissima var. scottii