THE GRAPES OF NEW YORK. 99 



monly producing 4, 6 and 7 petals, with a corresponding number of stamens, 

 calix mostly entire, or obsoletely crenate, a glandulous disk surrounding the 

 germ; tendril dichotomous, sometimes producing flowers, therefore analo- 

 gous to a sterile raceme." 



It is evident that Nuttall was in doubt as to the distinguishing charac- 

 ters between Vitis and the allied genus, Cissus. While he has the species of 

 the two genera in the same position they would now be placed, his reference 

 to pinnate-leaved species is somewhat misleading as no pinnate-leaved 

 species are known to-day in either Europe or America. He uses, however, 

 the distinguishing character between these two genera that we now accept, 

 that is, Vitis has petals that adhere at the tops and come off in the form 

 of a cap or calyptrum, while in Cissus the corolla does not fall off as a cap. 

 Nuttall mentions six species as belonging to this genus: Vitis labnisca, 

 V. aestivalis, V . cordijolia, V . riparia, V. rotundifolia, and V. palmata, with 

 a question mark after the last species. None is described. His work is 

 apparently a discriminating compilation of the work of earlier botanists. 



Many other botanical workers wrote on this genus during the period 

 covered and some of them did very valuable work in describing the various 

 species but their work has not been referred to because it did not add to the 

 knowledge of the genus as a whole. 



The first man to write a monograph on American grapes was Rafin- 

 esque,' who published in 1830 a paper bound volume entitled American 

 Manual of tJic Grape Vine, etc. Rafinesque, who was long a resident of 

 the United States, had an opportunity to acquire knowledge on the subject 

 upon which he wrote second to none other. His description of the genus 



' Constantini, Samuel Rafinesque was born in Galata, a suburb of Constantinople in European 

 Turkey, in 1783. He was of French-German descent,, his father being a French merchant of Marseilles, 

 and his mother of Sa.xon parentage. In 1S02 he came to Philadelphia. While here he was busied 

 with mercantile pursuits, occupying a position as clerk, but studied botany out of office hours for 

 amusement. In 1S05 he went to Sicily where he spent the next ten years. Here he commenced the 

 extensive series of publications which have made his name so well known to scientists. In 181 5 he 

 returned to the United States, traveling about from place to place for some time and finally settling 

 in Lexington. Kentucky, where he became a professor in Transylvania University. He left Lexington 

 in 1825, removing to Philadelphia, where he spent the remainder of his life, dying in poverty in 1840. 

 Rafinesque's biographer gives 420 differently titled articles on nearly all scientific subjects as the 

 product of his pen. His monograph on grapes, entitled American Manual of tlte Grape Vine and The 

 Art of Making Wines, etc., was published in Philadelphia in 1830. 



