Io6 THE GRAPES OF NEW YORK. 



considered, but these characters are variable and may be misleading. The 

 lobing of leaves is a fairly uniform character in most species, some having 

 lobed and others having entire leaves. As to color and texture, the upper 

 surface of the leaf in some species is smooth, glossy and shining and in 

 others rough and dull with varying shades of green. The lower surfaces 

 show similar variations with the addition of varying conditions of pubes- 

 cence and down or even of cobwebs. In young seedlings the shape and 

 surfaces of the leaves are apt to be quite different from those on the old 

 plants, a character of systematic importance with some species. The 

 flower, as compared with this organ in other genera, is of little importance 

 in distinguishing the species of Vitis, there being an unusual similarity in 

 the structure and appearance of the flowers of the several species. 



The number of species of Vitis is very uncertain; as, indeed, is their 

 habitat, except that they are generally confined to the temperate or sub- 

 tropical regions. Some writers give the number as less than fifty but in 

 all territories the number seems to depend on the thoroughness with 

 which the region has been worked over botanically, and also on the judg- 

 ment of the botanist doing the work. Gray recognized four species as 

 being indigenous to America. Engelmann in his latest publication (Bush- 

 hcrg Catalogue, 1883), thirteen, while Munson gives twenty-five. Bailey 

 in Gray's Synoptical Flora, gives twenty-three species. Planchon (in 1887) 

 gives twenty-eight species for the world. Seventeen of these are credited 

 to America, ten to Asia, and one, the Vinifera, of unknown nativity. AH 

 of these lists, however, are known to be incomplete. Bessey' says that the 

 grape is not native to the southern hemisphere, and Planchon credits none 

 to any section south of the equator. Bailey credits two to Australia in a 

 work not intended to cover more than those of American interest. And a 

 correspondent- from that continent writes us giving a list of nineteen 

 named and botanically described species indigenous to Australia. The 

 number of species of grapes in the world depends upon the arbitrary- 

 limits set for a species and our knowledge of the genus is yet too meager 

 to set these limits with certainty. 



' Gar. ojtd For., 8:47. 1895. 



2 W. Brennan, Gilgandra, N. S. W. 



