Vms. XLI. vitacea: m; 



ceous, oblong, unequal, ^seeded. — Native of Northern Europe. Trunk 401 

 high, with a pyramidal head. Jn. — Aug. -j- 



Order XLI. VITACE^S.— Grape-vines. 



S/trtiSs climbing by tendrils, with tumid, separable joints. 



Lvs. simple or compound, the lower opposite, upper alternate. 



f is. racemose, often polygamous or difEcious. , , , ^ 



CaZ. minute, nearly entire or 5-toothed. ,. „ ,. ^ [and caduco\i3 



Cor.— Petals 4—5, inserted on the outside of the disk, val vate and mflexed m aest., often cohermg abova 



Sta. 4—5, opposite the petals, inserted on the disk. „ , , 



Ot>a. superior, 2-ceUed. S7yie l, very short. FruiZ a berry, globose, pulpy. Seeds bony. 



Genera 7 species 260 natives of the warmer parts of both hemispheres. The grape fruit is the only 

 important production of this order. The acid of the grape is tartaric. It contains a sugar which difiers 

 from the common sugar in containing a smaller quantity of carbon. 



Genera, 



Torus elevated into a ring surrounding the ovary. Leaves cordate, &c '^^''*" ,^ •„ i 



Torus without a ring. Leaves digitately 5-foliate Ampeiopsis. i 



1. VITIS. 



Celtic gioyd, a tree or shrub. 



Petals deciduous, cohering at the top, or distinct and spreading ; 

 ovary partly enclosed within the torus, 2-celled ; cells 2-ovuled ; stigma 

 sessile, capitate ; berry 1 -celled, 1 — 4-seeded. — Fed. often changed 

 into tendrils. 



1. V. Laerusca. 



Lvs. broad cordate, angular-lobed, tomentose beneath. — This vine is na 

 tive through the U. S., growing in woods and groves. Like most oi" the N. 

 American species, the flowers are dioecious. Stem woody, rough-barked, 

 ascending trees often to a great height, and hanging like cables suspended Irom 

 the branches. Leaves very large, somewhat 3-lobed, at fii'st white-downy be- 

 neath. Flowers small, green, in panicles with a leaf opposite. Fruit large, 

 purple, often green or red. It is valued in cultivation for its deep shade m 

 summer arbors, and its fruit which is pleasant in taste. The Isabella, and 

 other sorts known in gardens, are varieties of this species. ^ 



2 V CORDIFOLIA. M.x:. (V.vulpina. Linn.) Frost Grape. Wmter Grape. 



Lvs cordate, acuminate, somewhat equally toothed, smooth on both 

 sides- roc loose, many-flowered; berries small.— Grows in thickets, by rivers, 

 &c , ascending shrubs and trees to the height of 10— 20f. Leaves large, mem- 

 branous, often 3-lobed, with pubescent veins when young, and with a lew 

 mucronate teeth. Berries nearly black, rather small, late, acid, but well fla- 

 vored after frosts of November. Jn. 



3. V. AESTIVALIS. . , J . * 



Lvs broadly cordate, 3— 5-lobed or palmate-smuate, coar.sely dentate, 

 with scattered, ferruginous hairs beneath ; /er/i/e rac. long, panicled; bernes 

 small— Grows in woods, by rivers, &c. Stem very long, slender, climbing, 

 with very large leaves, which are sometimes with deep, rounded sinuses, 

 clothed beneath when young, with arachnoid, rust-colored pubescence. Ten- 

 drils irom the peduncles which are dense flowered, and with a leal opposite. 

 Petals cohering at summit. Berries deep blue, well flavored, but small, ripe 

 in September. Flowers in June. 



' 4. V. RiPARiA. Michx. Winter Grape. , . , . , 



Lv^ incisely dentate, somewhat 3-lobed: the petioles, veins and margins 

 pubescent i berries smvA\, in loose racemes.-Grows in thickets, on river banks, 

 &c Can. to Va., W. to Ark. Vine l^-30f long. Leaves large, as long as 

 wide, with coarse, unequal, acuminate teeth. Fruit dark-purple. 



5 V viNiFERA. 'Common Wine Grape.— Lvs. cordate, sinuately 5-lobed, 

 glabrous or tomentose ; /fe. all ^ .-Naturalized in nearly all temperate climates 

 but supposed not to be indigenous to this country. No plant an the vegetable 

 kingdom possesses more interesting attributes, is cultivated with greater care, 

 or, let me add, has been worse perverted or abused l)y mankind, than the cnn- 



