VITIS 
G25 
gynous, forming a ring round the ovary; filament very short, anther 
introrse, connective usually with membranous prolongation. G (3), 
i-loc. with 1 — 00 anatropous ovules on each of the parietal placentae. 
Style simple. Fruit a 3-valved loculicidal capsule. Endosperm. 
Chief genera : Alsodeia, Viola. Placed in Parietales by Benth. -Hooker, 
in Cistiflorae by Warming. 
Violarieae (Benth. -Hooker) includes Violaceae and the Sauvagesieae 
of Ochnaceae. 
Viscaria Riv. ex Rupp. = Lychnis Tourn. V. viscosa Aschers. = Z. Vis- 
car ia. 
Viscum Tourn. ex Linn. Loranthaceae (2). About 20 sp. universal in 
the Old World. V. album L. in Brit, (mistletoe). It is a semipara- 
sitic shrubby evergreen, growing on apple, hawthorn, oak, & c., and 
drawing nourishment from its host by suckers. It is repeatedly 
branched in a dichasial manner, the central stalk usually ending in 
an infl. Each branch bears two green leathery leaves, and represents 
a year’s growth. The unisexual dioecious firs, are in groups of three. 
There is no calyculus. The sta. is completely fused to the perianth- 
leaf. Pollen-sacs very numerous. Ovary as usual in the order. The 
firs, secrete honey and are visited by flies. Fruit a pseudo-berry. 
The layer of viscin prevents the bird that eats the berry from swal- 
lowing the seed, which it scrapes off its bill onto a branch, where it 
adheres and germinates. [See Nat. PJl . or Treas . of Bot.] 
Vitaceae (Ampelidaceae). Dicotyledons (Archichl. Rhamnales). n 
gen. with 450 sp. mostly trop. and subtrop. Climbing or rarely erect 
shrubs, with alt. stip. leaves. Infl. cymose, usually complex ; brac- 
teoles present. Fir. regular, 5 or not. K (4 — 5), small and cup-like, 
very slightly lobed; C 4 — 5, valvate, often united at the tips and 
falling off as a hood upon the opening of the bud; A 4 — 5, opp. to 
the petals, at the base of a hypogynous disc, with introrse anthers. G 
usually (2), rarely 3 — 6, multi-loc. with usually 2 collateral anatropous 
ovules, which are erect with ventral raphe. Berry. Endosperm; 
embryo straight. Vitis is economically important. Chief genera: 
Vitis, Leea. Placed in Celastrales by Benth. -Hooker, in Frangu- 
linae by Warming. 
Vitellaria Gaertn. f. Sapotaceae (1). 15 sp. trop. Am. V. mammosa 
Radlkf. is the marmalade tree, cultivated in the tropics for its fruit. 
Vitex Tourn. ex Linn. Verbenaceae (iv). 60 sp. trop. and temp. 
Vitis (Tourn.) Linn. (incl. Ampelopsis Michx., Cissus Linn., Quina- 
ria Rafin.). Vitaceae. 400 sp. trop. and warm temp. The vines 
are climbing plants, with tendrils which represent modified infls. ; 
the stem is usually regarded as a sympodium (p. 42), each axis in 
turn ending in a tendril, but there has been much argument upon 
the subject (see Nat. Pfl-). The tendril may attach itself by the 
ordinary coiling method, or may be negatively heliotropic and 
thus force its way into the crevices of the support; in these 
W. 
40 
