Headache vine | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Order: | Ranunculales |
Family: | Ranunculaceae |
Genus: | Clematis |
Species: | C. glycinoides
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Binomial name | |
Clematis glycinoides | |
Synonyms [3] | |
Homotypic synonyms
Heterotypic synonyms |
Clematis glycinoides, commonly known as headache vine, is a shrub or climber of the family Ranunculaceae, found in eastern Australia [4] and New Caledonia. [5]
Clematis glycinoides is a woody-stemmed vine that can reach 15 m (49 ft) long, [6] with simple lanceolate (spear-shaped) to oblong leaves that are 1.5–12 cm (0.59–4.72 in) long by 1–8 cm (0.39–3.15 in) wide. The cream-white flowers appear from July to December, although these are most abundant in September. [7] The species is dioecious: the plants have either male or female flowers. The seedheads have several feathery 'tails' up to 6 centimetres (2.4 in) long. [8]
Augustin Pyramus de Candolle described the species in 1817, based on a specimen from the herbarium of Sir Joseph Banks. [9] The species gains its common name from its folk use as a supposed remedy for headaches. The aroma from the crushed leaves is inhaled, appearing to relieve headaches as a result of the highly irritant properties of the resulting fumes. This process was explained by herbalist Cheryll Williams:
The uncomfortable sensation of breathing in the ammonia-like fumes has been described as "the head 'exploding', the eyes 'watering' and intense irritation of the nasal passages" – such that the initial headache was quickly forgotten. [10] [11]
Two varieties are recognised—C. glycinoides glycinoides and C. glycinoides submutica. [4]
C. glycinoides is found in Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria. It grows in woodland, forests and rainforests, [4] on basalt, limestone, shale or sandstone soils with good drainage. Open forest species that it grows under include grey myrtle ( Backhousia myrtifolia), grey ironbark ( Eucalyptus paniculata) and manna gum ( E. viminalis), as well as floodplain forest trees such as cabbage gum ( Eucalyptus amplifolia) and broad-leaved apple ( Angophora subvelutina). [7]
Honeybees visit the flowers. [7]
C. glycinoides is possibly not as vigorous as other Clematis in cultivation, and requires moist conditions to do well. Its white flowers are considered to be an attractive feature. [12]