CEPAGES. 



43 



V. ROTUNDIFOLIA. 



(a) Description. Stump very vigorous, spreading habit, 

 trunk very strong, branches (Fig. i) bark with disseminated 

 lenticels, without diaphragms, of a 



deep shiny grey, tendrils simple, dis- 

 continuous. Leaves (Fig. 3) small, 

 pentagonal, entire, thick, parchment- 

 like, apron nil; teeth in two series, 

 wide, obliquely directed; green, shiny 

 and glabrous on both faces, under-face 

 lighter in colour. Bunch composed of 

 a few berries maturing successively; 

 large, spherical, colour yellowish- 

 brown, with thick skin and fleshy pulp. 

 Seeds (Fig. 2) large, elongated, flat- 

 tened; chalaze and raphe nil; chalazic 

 depression surrounded by radiating 

 striations and two longitudinal depres- 

 sions. Roots slender. 



(b) Varieties. The variations of V. 

 Rotundifolia in its wild state are not 

 numerous; they exist mainly in the 

 colours of the fruit, which are black, 

 pink, or white, and in the intensity of 

 the tint of the foliage. The varieties 

 obtained from seedlings in America, 

 such as Scuppernong, Thomas, Tender 

 Pulp, Mish, Flowers, have the same 

 properties of adaptation and the same 

 cultural value as the pure species. 



Hybrids between V. Rotundifolia 

 and V. Vinifera have been tried, and 

 notwithstanding the strongly accen- 

 tuated botanical differences existing 

 between these two species, some curious 

 forms have been obtained. 



(c) Adaptation and Culture. The 

 V. Rotundifolia is limited, in America, 

 to the southern states bordering the 

 Atlantic, from Florida to Virginia, and 

 in the centre of Texas. It lives in 

 deep, siliceous, very rich moist soils. 

 Great heat as well as moisture both in Fig v; 



