Clematis quadribracteolata is endemic to the North and South Island, and is found from Waitomo and the Bay of Plenty south to the Eastern Wairarapa in the north, and Nelson, Marlborough, Westland, Canterbury, Otago and Southland in the south, mainly in the drier east. It grows in lowland to subalpine areas favouring grey scrub, frost flats, forest margins, grows on
tussock grasses, and is found in low, wet areas near streams and along roads. It is an evergreen slender, low-growing woody climber with grooved branchlets, glabrous of finely puberulent when young. It has branches that grow 1-2m in length and it prefers a sunny to half-shady situation on moderately moist soil. It has very small, sweetly scented red/pink, violet/purple flowers from September to October.