Vms. XLI. VITACE^E. 211 



ceous, oblong, unequal, 2-seeded. Native of Northern Europe. Trunk 40f 

 high, with a pyramidal head. Jn. Aug. f 



ORDER XLI. VITACEJE. GRAPE-VINES. 



Shrubs climbing by tendrils, with tumid, separable joints. 



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



Fis. racemose, often polygamous or dioecious. 



Cal. minute, nearly entire or 5-toothed. [and caducous. 



Gw. Petals 45, inserted on the outside of the disk, val vate and inflexed in rest., often cohering above 



Sta. 45, opposite the petals, inserted on the disk. 



Ova. superior, 2-celled. Style l, very short. Fruit 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 diners 

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



Genera, 



Torus elevated into a ring surrounding the ovary. Leaves cordate, &c Vitis. I 



Torus without a ring. Leaves digitately 5-foliate Ampelopsis. 2 



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. LABRUSCA. 



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

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

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

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

 the branches. Leaves very large, somewhat 3-lobed, at first 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 in 

 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. MX. (V. vulpina. Linn.) Frost Grape. Winter 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 few 

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

 vored after frosts of November. Jn. 



3. V. .33STIVALIS. 



Lvs. broadly cordate, 3 5-lobed or palmate-sinuate, coarsely dentate, 

 with scattered, ferruginous hairs beneath ; fertile rac. long, panicled ; berries 

 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 from the peduncles which are dense flowered, and with a leaf opposite. 

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

 in September. Flowers in June. 



4. V. RIPARIA. Michx. Winter Grape. 



Lvs. incisely dentate, somewhat 3-lobed ;. the petioles, veins and margins 

 pubescent ; berries small, in loose racemes. Grows in thickets, on river banks, 

 &c., Can. to Va., W. to Ark. Vine 15 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 ; fls. all . Naturalized in nearly all temperate climates, 

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

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

 or, let me add, has been worse perverted or abused by mankind, than the com- 



