page_title: Vitis
section_title: Species
hierarchical_section_title: Vitis / Species
caption_attribution_description: English: Vitis cognitiae, Rigwood East, Victoria Australia HelloMojo 09:02, 1 April 2007 (UTC)
context_page_description: Vitis is a genus of 79 accepted species of vining plants in the flowering plant family Vitaceae. The genus is made up 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 Vitis varieties are wind-pollinated with hermaphroditic flowers containing both male and female reproductive structures. 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.
  Grapevines usually only produce fruit on shoots that came from buds that were developed during the previous growing season.
context_section_description: Most Vitis species are found in the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere in North America and Asia with a few in the tropics. The wine grape Vitis vinifera originated in southern Europe and southwestern Asia. The 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 48 cm (19 in) in diameter at breast height and reach the upper canopy of trees more than 35 m (115 ft) 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, with species in Asia in particular being poorly defined.  Estimates range from 40 to more than 60. Some of the more notable include:
  Vitis arizonica, The Arizona grape is native to Arizona, Utah, Nevada, California, New Mexico, Texas, and Northern mexico.
  Vitis vinifera, the European grapevine. Native to the Mediterranean and Central Asia.
  Vitis labrusca, the fox grapevine, sometimes used for winemaking and for jam. Native to the Eastern United States and Canada. The Concord grape is a common cultivar.
  Vitis riparia, the riverbank grapevine, sometimes used for winemaking and for jam. Native to the entire Eastern U.S. and north to Quebec.
  Vitis aestivalis, the summer grape, native to the Eastern United States, especially the Southeastern United States.
  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 coignetiae, the crimson glory vine, a species from East Asia grown as an ornamental plant for its crimson autumn foliage.
  Vitis amurensis, native to the Asian continent, including parts of Siberia and China.
  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.
  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.
  There are many cultivars of grapevines; most are cultivars of V. vinifera.
  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 has feminine grammatical gender, and therefore species names with adjectival specific epithets take feminine forms, such as V. vinifera.
caption: Vitis coignetiae with autumn leaves
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