Clematis paniculata. Puawānanga.
Previous names
Previous names
Clematis indivisa
Māori names
PUAWĀNANGA, pūānanga, pōānanga (Best 1907), puapua, puataua, puatautaua, puatataua, pikiarero (names all in Williams 1971); puatanatana (Thomson 1855. Almost certainly a misspelling), puawhānanga (Taylor 1870); pōhue (name given to several climbing or trailing plants); pōpoko-nui-a-hura (Williams).
Common names
Food
Pōānanga flowers, along with tāwari and rātā blossom, said to produce the finest honey (Best 1907). Pōānanga also refers to Clematis forsteri
Domestic
Women made wreaths and garlands for their hair (Colenso 1868b)
Medicinal
A decoction of the bark and stems slightly alterative (Colenso 1868a).
Bark and some of wood scraped and shavings used for inhaling for head colds (as eucalyptus) (T. Kururangi 1941).
Leaves applied to produce blisters as a counter-irritant ( Thomson 1855, Goldie 1904)
Sap from short lengths of stem blown onto wounds e.g. fetlock of horse cut by a rope (Adams 1945).
Decoction containing kohekohe bark, manakura bark (Melicytus micranthus), puawānanga vine, korare stalk (Phormium tenax) and kahikātoa leaves (Leptospermum scoparium) was taken 3x a day before meals for female haemorrhage, bleeding piles, general blood disorders, kidney troubles and skin eruptions (Anon ; on Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Botany Division files, Christchurch, 22/15 of 8/1/59. Now in National Archives.)
Related pharmacology in Brooker, Cambie and Cooper 1987.
