Vitaceae

Abstract

Hermaphroditic or polygamo-monoecious to polygamo-dioecious woody climbers or vines, rarely small succulent trees; stems unarmed, with conspicuous lenticels, or the bark sometimes shredding (in most species of Vitis), branches often swollen at the 3-7-lacunar nodes, pith continuous or interrupted by diaphragms at nodes; tendrils simple, bifid, or 2-3-, or 4-12-branched (in Parthenocissus), usually leaf-opposite, rarely tendrils 0; raphide sacs present in the parenchymatous tissues. Leaves simple, lobed or unlobed, digitately or pedately compound to 1-3-pinnately compound, alternate, distichous, variously toothed, commonly with multicellular, stalked, caducous spherical structures knownas “ pearl” glands; stipules 2 or rarely 0, often caducous. Inflorescences in panicles, corymbs, or rarely spikes, often leaf-opposed, pseudo-terminal, or axillary (in Cayratia and Tetrastigma). Flowers small, pedicellate, with prophylls, actinomorphic, hypogynous, 4-5(-7)-merous; calyx of 4-5(-7)small teeth or lobes or a continuous ring; petals valvate, 4-5(-7), free or basally connate, or distally connate to form a calyptra (e.g., in Vitis ); stamens 4-5(-7), antepetalous, anthers tetrasporangiate or rarely bisporangiate, introrse, dehiscing longitudinally; floral disk intrastaminal, ring-shaped, cupular, or gland-shaped; ovary superior, 2-locular, with a simple style, the stigma discoid or capitate, rarely (Tetrastigma)4-lobed, non-papillate; ovules 2 per locule, axile, appearing nearly basal, apotropous or anatropous, bitegmic and crassinucellar. Fruit a berry, 1-4-seeded; seeds endotestal with an abaxial chalazal knot and an adaxial raphe with 2 furrows one on each side; the embryo small and straight; endosperm oily and proteinaceous, copious, ruminate.

Keywords

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