Tas. 6803, 
VITIS  preropuora. 
Native of Brazil. 
Nat. Ord. AMPELIDER. 
Genus Vitis, Linn. ; (Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Pl. vol. i. p. 387.) 
Vitis pterophora ; alte scandens, sparse pilosa, ramis crassis carnosis tetragonis 
et tetrapteris alis undulatis, foliis longe petiolatis 3-foliolatis, foliolis amplis 
sessilibus rugoso-undulatis trapezoideo- v. rhombeo-obovatis acuminatis serratis 
nervis reticulatis impressis, terminali sub 3-lobo lobis lateralibus brevibus acutis 
v. obtusis, lateralibus oblique v. dimidiato ovatis margine inferiore in lobum 
producto, stipulis amplis late ovatis v. rotundatis ciliatis fusco-purpureis, 
petiolo angusto tetrapteo, cyme pedunculate ramulis crassis divaricatis, pedi- 
cellis calycibusque glandulosis, calycis depresso-globosi crassi basi intrusi ore 
integerrimo, petalis 4 minutis obtusis demum solutis, disco annulari, filamentis 
brevibus, stylo columnari, bacca immatura obovoidea. 
V. pterophora, Baker in Mart. Fl. Bras. vol. xiv. pars 2, p. 213. 
V. Gongylodes, Lynch in Journ. Linn. Soc. vol. xvii. p. 306, t. 15, non Baker ; 
Masters in Gard. Chron. vol. xix. part 1, p. 52, fig. 8. 
The enormous genus Vitis, which includes upwards of 
230 known species, contains many plants of great horti- 
cultural interest, notably the Grape Vine, the beautiful V. 
(Cissus) discolor (Plate 4763), the Five-fingered Ivy, and 
V.. (Ampelopsis) tricuspidata, the singular gouty-stemmed 
vine, V. macropus (Plate 5479), and its ally, V. Bainesii 
(Plate 5472). Interesting as these are, they do not surpass 
the subject of the present plate, which has for several 
years past attracted the attention of visitors to the Victoria 
House at Kew, from its great size, handsome appearance, 
and singular habits. The roots oceupy a border, and the 
stout stem climbs up to the roof of the house, where its 
long green and red leafy branches are trained from girder 
to girder, and from whence they send down the remarkable 
whipcord-like red roots, of which some reach the water of 
the Victoria tank, and there form enormous brushes of 
rootlets like the tail of a horse; whilst the dependent 
branches are the subject of a singular growth, which and 
the functions of the tendrils have been described by Mr. 
MARCH Ist, 1885. 
