Clematis vitalba, Traveller's Joy

Common Name: Traveller's Joy

Clematis vitalba, commonly known as Traveller's Joy, is a climbing shrub, clinging to other shrubs, trees and hedges, and is one of the few woody climbers in the UK. Its pinnately compound leaves have stalks which can curl tightly like tendrils around any support. The leaflets, in opposite pairs, bear a few large blunt teeth. The fragrant flowers have only one whorl of four cream-coloured petals, which are downy on the outside.

They have many stamens, massed around the central cluster of long hairy styles; these elongate in fruit to form a feathery plume on each of the numerous achenes. In autumn the plant is covered in masses of ripened fruit; these feathery plumes act as wind-dispersal agents and give the appearance of wreaths of smoke or hair on wood borders or hedges, giving rise to its other well-known name of Old Man's Beard.

https://www.uknature.co.uk is a website dedicated to showing the immense diversity of UK nature and wildlife. Our vast range of habitats, from lowland arable to snow covered mountains, from storm-ravaged coastlines to peaceful inland freshwater lakes and rivers, from dry, sandy heaths to deciduous and coniferous forests, all these habitats contribute to the abundance of UK nature. We have wild birds in huge numbers either residing or visiting our shores (597 recorded species as at July 2013) and we must also not forget the humble back garden with its grass lawns, flower beds filled with nectar rich flowers, shrubs and trees, all designed to attract huge numbers of insects such as bees, moths, butterflies and hoverflies; and finally the small ponds which provide safe havens for frogs, toads, newts and even slow worms and grass snakes. www.uknature.co.uk is the showcase for my personal passion, photographing uknature in all its glory. I sincerely hope you all enjoy the fruits of my labours.