From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishclematisclem‧a‧tis /ˈklemətɪs, klɪˈmeɪtɪs/ noun [countable, uncountable] HBPDLGa plant that attaches itself to trees, buildings, fences etc as it grows, and that has white or coloured flowers
Examples from the Corpus
clematis• Keep away from jasmine, already thick in flower bud, and clematis, however untidy.• Serpentine layering Climbers such as clematis, jasmine, wisteria and honeysuckle root wherever their long pliable stems touch the soil.• A mass of flowers covered the house, a pink climbing rose and a creamy clematis.• Well-established clematis plants develop a large root system that takes up a great deal of water.• It has been replaced with trellis which is planted with variegated euonymus, five clematis, a climbing rose and evergreen honeysuckles.• Brushing aside looping clematis, she poised to run but her head smacked full-tilt on a wall of spiderglass.• The first impression is of pink phlox, purple loosestrife, clematis, pelargoniums, roses and day lilies.• Oil tanks hide behind pampas grasses and dried-up clematis.Origin clematis (1500-1600) Latin Greek klematis “small dead branches, clematis”, from klema “small branch” 