Vitis

''Vitis'' (grapevine) is a genus of 81 accepted species of vining plants in the flowering plant family Vitaceae. The genus consists of species predominantly from the Northern Hemisphere. It is economically important as the source of grapes, both for direct consumption of the fruit and for fermentation to produce wine. The study and cultivation of grapevines is called viticulture.

Most cultivated ''Vitis'' varieties are wind-pollinated with hermaphroditic flowers containing both male and female reproductive structures, while wild species are dioecious. These flowers are grouped in bunches called inflorescences. In many species, such as ''Vitis vinifera'', each successfully pollinated flower becomes a grape berry with the inflorescence turning into a cluster of grapes. While the flowers of the grapevines are usually very small, the berries are often large and brightly colored with sweet flavors that attract birds and other animals to disperse the seeds contained within the berries.Wine & Spirits Education Trust ''"Wine and Spirits: Understanding Wine Quality"'' pgs 2-5, Second Revised Edition (2012), London,

Grapevines usually only produce fruit on shoots that came from buds that were developed during the previous growing season. In viticulture, this is one of the principles behind pruning the previous year's growth (or "One year old wood") that includes shoots that have turned hard and woody during the winter (after harvest in commercial viticulture). These vines will be pruned either into a cane which will support 8 to 15 buds or to a smaller spur which holds 2 to 3 buds.

Description

In the wild, all species of ''Vitis'' are normally dioecious, but under domestication, variants with perfect flowers appear to have been selected. Flower buds are formed late in the growing season and overwinter for blooming in the spring of the next year. They produce leaf-opposed cymes. Vitis is distinguished from other genera in the Vitaceae family by its petals, which remain joined at the tip and detach from the base to fall off together as a calyptra or 'cap'. The flowers are pentamerous. The calyx is greatly reduced or nonexistent in most species. The fruit is a berry, ovoid in shape and juicy, with a two-celled ovary each containing two ovules, thus normally producing four seeds per flower (or fewer by way of aborted embryos).

Other parts of the vine include the tendrils which are leaf-opposed, branched in ''Vitis vinifera'', and support the climbing plant by twining around surrounding structures such as branches or the trellising of a vine-training system.

The genus ''Vitis'' is divided into two subgenera, ''Euvitis'' Planch. have 38 chromosomes (n=19) with berries borne on clusters and ''Muscadinia'' Planch. 40 (n=20) with small clusters.

Wild grapes can resemble the single-seeded '' Menispermum canadense'' (moonseed), which is toxic.

Species

Most ''Vitis'' species are found mostly in the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere in North America and eastern Asia, exceptions being a few in the tropics and the wine grape ''Vitis vinifera'' which originated in southern Europe and southwestern Asia. Grape species occur in widely different geographical areas and show a great diversity of form.

Their growth makes leaf collection challenging and polymorphic leaves make identification of species difficult. Mature grapevines can grow up to in diameter at breast height and reach the upper canopy of trees more than in height.

Many species are sufficiently closely related to allow easy interbreeding and the resultant interspecific hybrids are invariably fertile and vigorous. Thus the concept of a species is less well defined and more likely represents the identification of different ecotypes of ''Vitis'' that have evolved in distinct geographical and environmental circumstances.

The exact number of species is not certain. Plants of the World Online states 81 species are accepted, but lists 84. More than 65 species in Asia are poorly defined. Approximately 25 species are known in North America, and these were studied extensively in the late 1800s by German-American botanist George Englemann. By contrast, just one, ''V. vinifera'' has Eurasian origins. Some of the more notable species include:
#'' Vitis aestivalis'', the summer grape, native to the Eastern United States, especially the Southeastern United States
#'' Vitis amurensis'', native to the Asian continent, including parts of Siberia and China
#'' Vitis arizonica'', The Arizona grape is native to Arizona, Utah, Nevada, California, New Mexico, Texas, and Northern Mexico.
#'' Vitis berlandieri'', native to the southern North America, primarily Texas, New Mexico and Arkansas. Primarily known for good tolerance against soils with a high content of lime, which can cause chlorosis in many vines of American origin
#''Vitis californica'', the California wild grape, or Northern California grape, or Pacific grape, is a wild grape species widespread across much of California as well as southwestern Oregon
#'' Vitis coignetiae'', the crimson glory vine, a species from East Asia grown as an ornamental plant for its crimson autumn foliage
# ''Vitis labrusca'' L., the fox grapevine, sometimes used for winemaking and for jam. Native to the Eastern United States and Canada. The Concord grape was derived by a cross with this species
#'' Vitis riparia'', the riverbank grapevine, sometimes used for winemaking and for jam. Native to the entire Eastern United States and north to Quebec
#''Vitis rotundifolia'' (syn. ''Muscadinia rotundifolia''), the muscadine, used for jams and wine. Native to the Southeastern United States from Delaware to the Gulf of Mexico
#'' Vitis rupestris'', the rock grapevine, used for breeding of Phylloxera resistant rootstock. Native to the Southern United States
#''Vitis vinifera'', the European grapevine. Native to the Mediterranean and Central Asia.
#'' Vitis vulpina'', the frost grape, native to the Eastern United States, from Massachusetts to Florida, and west to Nebraska, Kansas, and Texas Treated by some as a synonym of ''V. riparia''.

''Plants of the World Online'' also includes:

# '' Vitis acerifolia'' Raf.
# '' Vitis amoena'' Z.H. Chen, Feng Chen & WW.Y. Xie
# '' Vitis baihuashanensis'' M.S.Kang & D.Z.Lu
# '' Vitis balansana'' Planch.
# '' Vitis bashanica'' P.C.He
# ''Vitis bellula'' (Rehder) W.T.Wang
# '' Vitis betulifolia'' Diels & Gilg
# '' Vitis biformis'' Rose
# ''Vitis blancoi'' Munson
# ''Vitis bloodworthiana'' Comeaux
# ''Vitis bourgaeana'' Planch.
# ''Vitis bryoniifolia'' Bunge
# ''Vitis × champinii'' Planch.
# ''Vitis chunganensis'' Hu
# ''Vitis chungii'' F.P.Metcalf
# ''Vitis cinerea'' (Engelm.) Millardet
# '' Vitis davidi'' (Rom.Caill.) Foëx
# '' Vitis × doaniana'' Munson ex Viala
# '' Vitis erythrophylla'' W.T.Wang
# '' Vitis fengqinensis'' C.L.Li
# '' Vitis ficifolia'' Bunge
# '' Vitis flavicosta'' Mickel & Beitel
# '' Vitis flexuosa'' Thunb.
# '' Vitis girdiana'' Munson
# '' Vitis hancockii'' Hance
# '' Vitis heyneana'' Schult.
# '' Vitis hissarica'' Vassilcz.
# '' Vitis hui'' W.C.Cheng
# '' Vitis jaegeriana'' Comeaux
# '' Vitis jinggangensis'' W.T.Wang
# '' Vitis jinzhainensis'' X.S.Shen
# '' Vitis kaihuaica'' Z.H.Chen, Feng Chen & W.Y Xie
# '' Vitis kiusiana'' Momiy.
# '' Vitis lanceolatifoliosa'' C.L.Li
# '' Vitis longquanensis'' P.L.Chiu
# '' Vitis luochengensis'' W.T.Wang
# '' Vitis menghaiensis'' C.L.Li
# '' Vitis mengziensis'' C.L.Li
# '' Vitis metziana'' Miq.
# '' Vitis monticola'' Buckley
# '' Vitis mustangensis'' Buckley
# '' Vitis nesbittiana'' Comeaux
# '' Vitis × novae-angliae'' Fernald
# '' Vitis novogranatensis'' Moldenke
# '' Vitis nuristanica'' Vassilcz.
# '' Vitis palmata'' Vahl
# '' Vitis pedicellata'' M.A.Lawson
# '' Vitis peninsularis'' M.E.Jones
# '' Vitis piasezkii'' Maxim.
# '' Vitis pilosonervia'' F.P.Metcalf
# '' Vitis popenoei'' J.L.Fennell
# '' Vitis pseudoreticulata'' W.T.Wang
# '' Vitis quinlingensis'' P.C.He
# '' Vitis retordii'' Rom.Caill. ex Planch.
# '' Vitis romanetii'' Rom.Caill.
# '' Vitis ruyuanensis'' C.L.Li
# '' Vitis saccharifera'' Makino
# '' Vitis shenxiensis'' C.L.Li
# '' Vitis shizishanensis'' Z.Y.Ma, J.Wen, Q.Fu & X.Q.Liu
# '' Vitis shuttleworthii'' House
# '' Vitis silvestrii'' Pamp.
# '' Vitis sinocinerea'' W.T.Wang
# '' Vitis sinoternata'' W.T.Wang
# '' Vitis tiliifolia'' Humb. & Bonpl. ex Schult.
# '' Vitis tsoi'' Merr.
# '' Vitis wenchowensis'' C.Ling
# '' Vitis wenxianensis'' W.T.Wang
# '' Vitis wilsoniae'' H.J.Veitch
# '' Vitis wuhanensis'' C.L.Li
# '' Vitis xunyangensis'' P.C.He
# '' Vitis yunnanensis'' C.L.Li
# '' Vitis zhejiang-adstricta'' P.L.Chiu

There are many cultivars of grapevines; most are cultivars of ''V. vinifera''. One of them includes, Vitis 'Ornamental Grape'.

Hybrid grapes also exist, and these are primarily crosses between ''V. vinifera'' and one or more of ''V. labrusca'', ''V. riparia'' or ''V. aestivalis''. Hybrids tend to be less susceptible to frost and disease (notably phylloxera), but wine from some hybrids may have a little of the characteristic "foxy" taste of ''V. labrusca''.

The Latin word ''Vitis'' is feminine, and therefore adjectival species names take feminine forms, such as ''V. vinifera''.

Ecology

Phylloxera is an American root aphid that devastated ''V. vinifera'' vineyards in Europe when accidentally introduced in the late 19th century. Attempts were made to breed in resistance from American species, but many winemakers and customers did not like the unusual flavour profile of the hybrid vines. However, ''V. vinifera'' grafts readily onto rootstocks of the American species and their hybrids with ''V. vinifera'', and most commercial production of grapes now relies on such grafts.

The black vine weevil is another root pest.

Grapevines are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species.

Commercial distribution

According to the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), 75,866 square kilometres of the world is dedicated to grapes. Approximately 71% of world grape production is used for wine, 27% as fresh fruit, and 2% as dried fruit. A portion of grape production goes to producing grape juice to be used as a sweetener for fruits canned "with no added sugar" and "100% natural". The area dedicated to vineyards is increasing by about 2% per year.

The following list of top wine-producers shows the corresponding areas dedicated to grapes (regardless of the grapes' final destination):

Domestic cultivation

Grapevines are widely cultivated by gardeners, and numerous suppliers cater specifically for this trade. The plants are valued for their decorative foliage, often colouring brightly in autumn; their ability to clothe walls, pergolas and arches, thus providing shade; and their fruits, which may be eaten as dessert or provide the basis for homemade wines. Popular varieties include:-

* Buckland Sweetwater' (white dessert)
*'Chardonnay' (white wine)
*' Foster's Seedling' (white dessert)
*' Grenache' (red wine)
*'Muscat of Alexandria' (white dessert)
*' Müller-Thurgau' (white wine)
*' Phoenix' (white wine)
*'Pinot noir' (red wine)
*'Regent' (red wine)
*' Schiava Grossa' (red dessert)
*' Seyval blanc' (white wine)
*' Tempranillo' (red wine)

The following varieties have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit:-

*'Boskoop Glory' (dessert/wine)
*'Brant' (black dessert)
*'Claret Cloak' or 'Frovit' (ornamental)
*'New York Muscat' (black dessert)
*'Purpurea' (ornamental)

Uses

The fruit of several ''Vitis'' species are grown commercially for consumption as fresh grapes and for fermentation into wine. ''Vitis vinifera'' is the most important such species.

The leaves of several species of grapevine are edible and are used in the production of dolmades and Vietnamese lot leaves.

Culture

The grapevine (typically ''Vitis vinifera'') has been used as a symbol since ancient times. In Greek mythology, Dionysus (called Bacchus by the Romans) was god of the vintage and, therefore, a grapevine with bunches of the fruit are among his attributes. His attendants at the Bacchanalian festivals hence had the vine as an attribute, together with the thyrsus, the latter often entwined with vine branches. For the same reason, the Greek wine cup ( cantharos) is commonly decorated with the vine and grapes, wine being drunk as a libation to the god.

The grapevine has a profound symbolic meaning in Jewish tradition and culture since antiquity.Wulkan, Reba, "The Grape and the Vine: A Motif in Contemporary Jewish Textiles" (1998). Textile Society of America Symposium Proceedings. 217. It is referenced 55 times in the Hebrew Bible

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