Vitaceae Juss.

Vitaceae, Bernard Verdcourt. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1993

Morphology General Habit

Predominantly climbing herbs or lianes, but sometimes erect or trailing herbs, shrubs or small trees, occasionally distinctly succulent; tendrils often present, leaf-opposed or arising from the peduncle

Morphology Leaves

Leaves alternate, simple or digitately compound, rarely pedate, entire or toothed, stipulate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers regular, usually hermaphrodite, mostly in much-branched cymes

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx entire or 4–6-lobed

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals 4–6, free or cohering at apex, valvate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium

Stamens 4–6, opposite the petals; filaments free; anthers 2-thecous, medifixed with longitudinal dehiscence

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Nectaries

Disk intrastaminal, annular or of separate glands

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium

Ovary superior, 2-locular, each locule with 2 erect ovules; style short or slender; stigma subulate to capitate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit a 1–4-seeded berry

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds ovoid, often pointed at one end; endosperm copious, sometimes ruminate

Timothy Utteridge & Gemma Bramley (2020). The Kew Tropical Plant Families Identification Handbook, Second Edition. Kew Publishing Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Note

Climbing by leaf-opposed tendrils. Leaves simple, often deeply lobed, or compound. Inflorescence leaf-opposed, terminal or axillary. Flowers actinomorphic, intrastaminal disk usually present; ovary superior. Fruit a berry.

Recognition

Characters of similar families: Cucurbitaceae: inferior ovary, tendrils at 90° to the petiole. Passifloraceae: glands on the petioles, tendrils axillary. Menispermaceae: unisexual flowers, horseshoe-shaped seed. Convolvulaceae: no tendrils, showy tubular corolla. Dioscoreaceae: no tendrils, ovary inferior.

Morphology General Habit

Usually lianas with leaf-opposed tendrils, sometimes shrubs or small trees, or herbs; bark often lenticellate

Morphology Leaves Stipules

Stipules small, caducous, sometimes persistent

Morphology Leaves

Leaves alternate, simple or compound; lamina margins usually dentate to palmately lobed, rarely entire

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence in panicles, corymbs or rarely spikes, leaf-opposed, terminal or axillary

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers small, actinomorphic, bisexual or unisexual, (3)4–5(–6)-merous; sepals (3–)4–5(6), connate; petals free or distally connate forming a calyptra, valvate (3–)4–5(–6); stamens opposite and equal in number to the petals, often with an intrastaminal disk; ovary superior, with 2 carpels and 2 locules, 2 ovules per locule; style terminal-Fruit a berry, 1–4 seeds

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds with endosperm.

Distribution

17 genera and c. 950 species with a pantropical and (warm) temperate distribution. APGIII recognises two subfamilies in Vitaceae: Vitoideae and Leeoideae (Old World only). The Leeoideae (occasionally recognised as Leeaceae) are herbs, shrubs or trees with no tendrils. The Vitoideae are lianas climbing by leaf-opposed tendrils. Some experts prefer to recognise two separate families Vitaceae and Leeaceae (see references). Tetrastigma is the genus upon which Rafflesia is parasitic.

Description Author

Anna Trias Blasi and Gemma Bramley

Timothy M. A. Utteridge and Laura V. S. Jennings (2022). Trees of New Guinea. Kew Publishing. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Distribution

A family of 12–14 genera and about 850 species, mainly from the tropics and subtropics but extending into the temperate regions.

Recognition

Most genera in the family are lianas with leaf-opposed tendrils, but there is a single shrubby genus, Leea. Leea has been placed in its own family, but is now established as the sister to the rest of the Vitaceae.

Milliken, W., Klitgard, B. and Baracat, A. (2009 onwards), Neotropikey - Interactive key and information resources for flowering plants of the Neotropics. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

Morphology General Habit

Lianas or rarely shrubs; rhaphides usually present in all parts, roots sometimes adventitious (many Cissus L.); stems rarely forming aerial tubers (some Cissus), or short, woody and subterranean (some shrubby species), sometimes with hard or soft emergences; tendrils usually present, leaf-opposed, with 0 or more branches, adhesive discs sometimes present

Morphology General Glands

Pearl-glands present (many Cissus)

Morphology Leaves Stipules

Stipules present, usually small, caducous, sometimes persistent, rarely transformed into turgid spines, sometimes forming dilated structure embracing entire node

Morphology Leaves

Leaves alternate simple or compound

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences leaf-opposed or terminal, rarely axillary, cymose with a central flower terminating each axil, or racemose without terminal flowers, sometimes with 1-2 tendril -like branches; bract and bracteole small, sometimes nectar secreting, the bract subtending each branch

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers actinomorphic, small, bisexual, sometimes unisexual (plants monecious or polygamous, and flowers functionally staminate, some Ampelocissus Planch. and Vitis L.); flower buds ellipsoid, oval, or conical, sometimes spherical or cylindrical; sepals 4-5, fused, calyx usually truncate, rounded, or rarely lobed (some Cissus) at base; petals 4-5, valvate, distinct or connate at base, or distally coherent and calyptra-like (Vitis), caducous at anthesis, rarely persistent (some Cissus); androecium with 4-5 stamens, minute, distinct; intrastaminal disc present, adnate to ovary (Cissus and Ampelocissus), free and ring-like (Ampelopsis Rich.), of separated  glands (Vitis), or absent (Parthenocissus Planch.), sometimes the outer border projected above, forming small cup (some Cissus); gynoecium syncarpous, the ovary superior, the carpels 2, the locules 2, the style simple, the stigma minute, entire; ovules 2 per locule

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruits berries, spherical or ellipsoid, the epicarp thin and chartaceous or thick and crustaceous (ellipsoid fruits), the mesocarp fleshy and juicy, the endocarp adherent to seed testa, more fibrous than mesocarp, fleshy and juicy

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 1(2-4), the testa variously ribbed and grooved with two ventral intrusions into endosperm (foveae), dorsal chalaza usually present (except in most Cissus); endosperm ruminate, 3- lobed, corneous, the embryo minute.

Distribution

Ampelopsis - Mexico, Guatemala. Ampelocissus - Mexico, Mesoamerica, Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola. Cissus - Mexico, Mesoamerica, Caribbean, South America. Vitis - Mexico, Mesoamerica, Colombia, Ecuador. Ampelocissus (Native) Ampelopsis (Native) Cissus (Native, Cultivated, Naturalised) Parthenocissus (Cultivated) Tetrastigma (Cultivated) Vitis (Native, Cultivated)

Diagnostic

Distinguishing characters (always present): Leaf-opposite tendrils and/or inflorescences. Valvate petals with opposite stamens. Stipules present, caducous or persistent. 4-merous flowers. Intrastaminal disc or separate glands. Key differences from similar families: Leaf-opposite tendrils and/or inflorescences (axillary in Cucurbitaceae and Sapindaceae). Ampelocissus - stigma entire, panicles or thyrses, disc adnate to ovary, associate tendrils in inflorescences present, adhesive discs absent, cobwebby hairs present. Ampelopsis - lianas, stigma entire, panicles or thyrses, disc only adnate to ovary base, associate tendrils in inflorescences absent but inflorescence branches sometimes tendril -like, adhesive discs absent, cobwebby hairs absent. Cissus - stigma entire, cymes, disc adnate to ovary, associate tendrils in inflorescences absent, adhesive discs present or absent, cobwebby hairs absent. Parthenocissus (CULTIVATED) - stigma entire, panicles or thyrses, disc absent, inflorescences with associate tendrils, adhesive discs present, cobwebby hairs absent. Tetrastigma (CULTIVATED) - stigma 4-lobed, panicles or thyrses, 'disc' composed by separate glands, inflorescences with associate tendrils, adhesive discs absent, cobwebby hairs present or absent. Vitis - stigma entire, panicles or thyrses, 'disc' composed of separate glands, inflorescences with associate tendrils, adhesive discs absent, cobwebby hairs present or absent.

Note

Some native species have economic potential; fruits of Mesoamerican Ampelocissus are used by local people for vinegar preparation and as table fruit. The berries of some South American Cissus (e.g. C. stipulata Vell. and C. trigona Willd. ex Schult. & Schult. f., which have the biggest fruits of all Neotropical species) are reported as sweet in Herbarium labels, whereas the small-fruited species usually have unpleasant fruits, filled with stinging raphides. Cissus verticillata (L.) Nicolson & C.E.Jarvis subsp. verticillata has the widest geographic and altitudinal distribution of all the Neotropical species. It occurs in almost all American countries, except Canada and Chile, at altitudes ranging from sea level to 2,500 m. In Brazil it is the only species under intense pharmacological study because of its reported medicinal properties. It is also cultivated around the world as an ornamental, although it is a potential weed, as in the Florida orange groves. Number of genera: 13 genera worldwide (6 in Neotropics): Ampelopsis Ampelocissus Cissus Parthenocissus Tetrastigma Planch. Vitis

George R. Proctor (2012). Flora of the Cayman Isands (Second Edition). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Morphology General Habit

More or less woody vines with copious watery sap, the stems often swollen at the nodes, climbing by means of tendrils that are either sterile peduncles or sometimes simple branches of flowering peduncles.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves alternate, simple or digitately 3–5-foliolate or pedate, rarely bipinnate; stipules present

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers regular, perfect or unisexual, in racemes or cymose panicles usually borne opposite the leaves; calyx small, entire or with 4–6 teeth or lobes; petals 4–5, valvate, soon falling

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 4–5, opposite the petals, inserted at base of the disc or between its lobes; anthers free or connate, short, 2-celled, opening inwardly

Disc

Disc various or none

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary usually immersed in the disc, 2–5-celled, the cells with 1 or 2 ascending anatropous ovules; style short or none, the stigma capitate or discoid

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit a berry, 1–6-celled, the cells 1–2-seeded; seeds with cartilaginous endosperm at the base of which is the short embryo.

Distribution

A chiefly tropical and subtropical family of about 12 genera and 700 species.

Vitaceae, H. Wild and R. B. Drummond. Flora Zambesiaca 2:2. 1966

Morphology General Habit

Erect trailing or climbing perennial herbs, climbing shrubs or rarely small trees

Morphology Leaves

Leaves alternate, simple or digitately compound or rarely pedate, margin variously toothed or rarely entire; stipules petiolar; tendrils present or absent, leaf-opposed or arising from the peduncle

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers actinomorphic, usually bisexual

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx subentire or 4–6-lobed

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals 4–6, free, valvate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium

Stamens 4–6, opposite the petals; filaments free; anthers 2-locular, medifixed with longitudinal dehiscence

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Nectaries

Disk intrastaminal, annular or of separate glands

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium

Ovary superior, 2-locular; ovules 2 in each loculus; style short; stigma subulate to capitate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit baccate, with 1–4 seeds

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds with copious sometimes ruminate endosperm

Leeaceae, H. Wild. Flora Zambesiaca 2:2. 1966

Morphology General Habit

Trees, shrubs or shrublets, rarely somewhat sarmentose

Morphology Leaves

Leaves alternate, pinnate, bipinnate or occasionally tripinnate; stipules petiolar, often caducous; tendrils absent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences leaf-opposed, of spreading much-branched cymes

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers actinomorphic, bisexual

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx cupular, 5-lobed

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla 5-lobed, lobes joined at base, becoming reflexed

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium

Stamens 5, opposite the petals, inflexed in bud but exserted and erect in the open flower, borne between the truncate-emarginate lobes of a tube adnate to the base of the corolla-tube and possessing a downward deflexed sleeve of tissue arising at about its middle (a complicated structure considered to be derived from the fusion of the filaments and distinguishing the family from the Vitaceae, which have free filaments); anthers 2-locular, dorsifixed, with ± longitudinal dehiscence

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Nectaries

Disk apparently absent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium

Ovary superior, 3–8-locular with 1 anatrapous ovule in each loculus; style cylindric; stigma subcapitate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit depressed-subglobose, 3–8-lobed

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 3–8, laterally compressed and triangular in transverse section; endosperm ruminate

Leeaceae, Bernard Verdcourt. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1993

Morphology General Habit

Trees, shrubs or woody-based herbs, occasionally creeping or scrambling; stems armed (not in Africa) or unarmed

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 1- or 3-foliolate or 1–4-pinnate, usually imperfectly imparipinnate; leaflets crenate to serrate-dentate with glandular lobes; stipules narrowly sheathing, ± persistent, or large, obovate and caducous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Cymes leaf-opposed, lax or condensed

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers hermaphrodite, regular, 4–5-merous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx campanulate; lobes triangular, glandular at apex

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla-lobes valvate, joined at base and adnate to androecium

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Sterile Parts

Staminodial tube divided into upper and lower parts, the upper of 4–5 connate thickened lobes with thinner sinuses over which the filaments pass, the lower collar-like, usually free

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium

Filaments flattened, alternating with the staminodial lobes; anthers 2-thecous, introrse, usually joined

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium

Ovary discoid, 4–6(–10)-locular, with 1 anatropous ovule per locule; style short with slightly thickened stigma

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit a depressed-subglobose berry

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds triangular-ovate in section; endosperm ruminate; embryo linear

Ampelidaceae, Hutchinson and Dalziel. Flora of West Tropical Africa 1:2. 1958

Morphology General Habit

Climbing shrubs or small trees or herbs from a perennial rootstock, with nodose or jointed stems, often with watery juice

Morphology Leaves

Leaves alternate or the lower sometimes opposite, simple or digitately or bipinnately compound, often pellucid-punctate; stipules usually present

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers hermaphrodite or unisexual, actinomorphic, small, in leaf-opposed spikes, racemes, cymes or panicles; peduncles often cirrhose

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx small, entire or toothed

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals 4–5, free or united, valvate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium

Stamens 4–5, opposite the petals

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Nectaries

Disk present within the stamens

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium

Ovary 2–6-celled, cells 1–2-ovuled; style short

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit baccate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds with copious sometimes ruminate endosperm and small embryo

Use

It is widely used throughout the tropics as a medicinal plant.

Use

Vitis vinifera L. is the grape, cultivated in most warm and warm-temperate countries. Over 25,000,000 metric tons of wine are made throughout the world from grapes every year. Dried grapes are called raisins.