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Glite Dictionary
Clematis vitalba

Clematis vitalba

9.9
A strong climbing plant that loses its leaves in winter and has fragrant greenish-white flowers in summer and autumn
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Clemátide vitalba
  • The fragrant flowers of Clematis vitalba attract many pollinators in summer.

Examples

  • The hedgerows were filled with Clematis vitalba in full bloom.

  • Gardeners often use Clematis vitalba to cover unsightly fences.

  • The Clematis vitalba blooms beautifully in my garden.

  • Have you seen the Clematis vitalba growing along the fence?

  • The fragrant flowers of Clematis vitalba attract many pollinators in summer.

  • Gardeners often use Clematis vitalba to cover unsightly fences.

  • The hedgerows were filled with Clematis vitalba in full bloom.

Synonyms

traveler's joy
vsClematis vitalba
  • US
9.8

A climbing plant that twines around walls and has white fragrant flowers in summer

is the formal scientific name used by botanists

Surface Forms

Clematis vitalba singular
Clematis vitalbae plural

Morphology

Clematis + vitalba

This is a Latin binomial: knowing 'Clematis' tells a learner it is a clematis (a flowering climbing vine), so the general category is clear. However 'vitalba' is not an English lexical item and functions as a species epithet/label, so the specific descriptive sense cannot be derived without botanical or Latin knowledge, making the overall meaning only partially transparent.

Etymology

The plant name Clematis vitalba may come from old Greek and Latin words: clematis meant a 'climbing branch' and vitalba may come from the Latin words for 'life' and 'white', giving the picture of a lively, white-flowered climber. That's why the name fits a vigorous climbing plant with pale, fragrant flowers.