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''Vitis'' (grapevine) is a genus of 79 accepted species of vining plants in the
flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants t ...
family Vitaceae. The genus is made up of species predominantly from the Northern Hemisphere. It is economically important as the source of
grape A grape is a fruit, botanically a berry, of the deciduous woody vines of the flowering plant genus '' Vitis''. Grapes are a non- climacteric type of fruit, generally occurring in clusters. The cultivation of grapes began perhaps 8,000 years a ...
s, both for direct consumption of the fruit and for fermentation to produce
wine Wine is an alcoholic drink typically made from Fermentation in winemaking, fermented grapes. Yeast in winemaking, Yeast consumes the sugar in the grapes and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Different ...
. The study and cultivation of grapevines is called
viticulture Viticulture (from the Latin word for '' vine'') or winegrowing (wine growing) is the cultivation and harvesting of grapes. It is a branch of the science of horticulture. While the native territory of '' Vitis vinifera'', the common grape vine, r ...
. Most cultivated ''Vitis'' varieties are
wind-pollinated Anemophily or wind pollination is a form of pollination whereby pollen is distributed by wind. Almost all gymnosperms are anemophilous, as are many plants in the order Poales, including grasses, sedges, and rushes. Other common anemophilo ...
with
hermaphroditic In reproductive biology, a hermaphrodite () is an organism that has both kinds of reproductive organs and can produce both gametes associated with male and female sexes. Many taxonomic groups of animals (mostly invertebrates) do not have s ...
flowers containing both male and female reproductive structures, while wild species are dieceous. These flowers are grouped in bunches called
inflorescence An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Morphologically, it is the modified part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are forme ...
s. 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 A season is a division of the year marked by changes in weather, ecology, and the amount of daylight. The growing season is that portion of the year in which local conditions (i.e. rainfall, temperature, daylight) permit normal plant growth. Whi ...
. In viticulture, this is one of the principles behind
pruning Pruning is a horticultural, arboricultural, and silvicultural practice involving the selective removal of certain parts of a plant, such as branches, buds, or roots. The practice entails the ''targeted'' removal of diseased, damaged, dead, ...
the previous year's growth (or "One year old wood") that includes shoots that have turned hard and woody during the winter (after
harvest Harvesting is the process of gathering a ripe crop from the fields. Reaping is the cutting of grain or pulse for harvest, typically using a scythe, sickle, or reaper. On smaller farms with minimal mechanization, harvesting is the most l ...
in commercial viticulture). These vines will be pruned either into a
cane Cane or caning may refer to: *Walking stick or walking cane, a device used primarily to aid walking * Assistive cane, a walking stick used as a mobility aid for better balance *White cane, a mobility or safety device used by many people who are ...
which will support 8 to 15 buds or to a smaller
spur A spur is a metal tool designed to be worn in pairs on the heels of riding boots for the purpose of directing a horse or other animal to move forward or laterally while riding. It is usually used to refine the riding aids (commands) and to ba ...
which holds 2 to 3 buds.


Description

Flower buds are formed late in the growing season and overwinter for blooming in spring of the next year. They produce leaf-opposed
cymes An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Morphologically, it is the modified part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed ...
. ''Vitis'' is distinguished from other genera of Vitaceae by having petals which remain joined at the tip and detach from the base to fall together as a calyptra or 'cap'. The
flower A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechanis ...
s are mostly bisexual,
pentamerous Merosity (from the greek "méros," which means "having parts") refers to the number of component parts in a distinct whorl of a plant structure. The term is most commonly used in the context of a flower where it refers to the number of sepals in a ...
, with a hypogynous disk. The calyx is greatly reduced or nonexistent in most species and the petals are joined together at the tip into one unit but separated at the base. The
fruit In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which flowering plants (also known as angiosperms) disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in partic ...
is a
berry A berry is a small, pulpy, and often edible fruit. Typically, berries are juicy, rounded, brightly colored, sweet, sour or tart, and do not have a stone or pit, although many pips or seeds may be present. Common examples are strawberries, rasp ...
, 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
tendril In botany, a tendril is a specialized stem, leaf or petiole with a threadlike shape used by climbing plants for support and attachment, as well as cellular invasion by parasitic plants such as '' Cuscuta''. There are many plants that have tend ...
s which are leaf-opposed, branched in ''
Vitis vinifera ''Vitis vinifera'', the common grape vine, is a species of flowering plant, native to the Mediterranean region, Central Europe, and southwestern Asia, from Morocco and Portugal north to southern Germany and east to northern Iran. There are cur ...
'', and are used to support the climbing plant by twining onto surrounding structures such as branches or the
trellising A trellis (treillage) is an architectural structure, usually made from an open framework or lattice of interwoven or intersecting pieces of wood, bamboo or metal that is normally made to support and display climbing plants, especially shrubs.
of a vine-training system. In the wild, all species of ''Vitis'' are normally
dioecious Dioecy (; ; adj. dioecious , ) is a characteristic of a species, meaning that it has distinct individual organisms (unisexual) that produce male or female gametes, either directly (in animals) or indirectly (in seed plants). Dioecious reproducti ...
, but under domestication, variants with perfect flowers appear to have been selected. 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 North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and th ...
and eastern
Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an are ...
, exceptions being a few in the tropics and the wine grape ''Vitis vinifera'' which originated in southern
Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
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 Diameter at breast height, or DBH, is a standard method of expressing the diameter of the trunk or bole of a standing tree. DBH is one of the most common dendrometric measurements. Tree trunks are measured at the height of an adult's breast ...
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, with more than 65 species in
Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an are ...
in particular being poorly defined. Approximately 25 species are known in
North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and th ...
and just one, ''V. vinifera'' has
Eurasia Eurasia (, ) is the largest continental area on Earth, comprising all of Europe and Asia. Primarily in the Northern and Eastern Hemispheres, it spans from the British Isles and the Iberian Peninsula in the west to the Japanese archipelag ...
n origins; some of the more notable include: #''
Vitis aestivalis ''Vitis aestivalis'', the summer grape, or pigeon grape is a species of grape native to eastern North America from southern Ontario east to Maine, west to Oklahoma, and south to Florida and Texas. It is a vigorous vine, growing to 10 m or more h ...
'', the summer grape, native to the Eastern United States, especially the
Southeastern United States The Southeastern United States, also referred to as the American Southeast or simply the Southeast, is a geographical List of regions in the United States, region of the United States. It is located broadly on the eastern portion of the south ...
. #'' 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 ''Vitis californica'', with common name In biology, a common name of a taxon or organism (also known as a vernacular name, English name, colloquial name, country name, popular name, or farmer's name) is a name that is based on the normal langu ...
'', 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 Ornamental plants or garden plants are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars that ...
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 Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by to ...
. The
Concord grape The Concord grape is a cultivar derived from the grape species ''Vitis labrusca'' (also known as fox grape) that are used as table grapes, wine grapes and juice grapes. They are often used to make grape jelly, grape juice, grape pies, grape- ...
was derived by a cross with this species. #''
Vitis riparia ''Vitis riparia'' Michx, with common names riverbank grape or frost grape, is a vine indigenous to North America. As a climbing or trailing vine, it is widely distributed across central and eastern Canada and the central and northeastern parts ...
'', the riverbank grapevine, sometimes used for winemaking and for jam. Native to the entire Eastern U.S. and north to
Quebec Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirte ...
. #'' Vitis rotundifolia'' (syn. ''Muscadinia rotundifolia''), the
muscadine ''Vitis rotundifolia'', or muscadine, is a grapevine species native to the southeastern and south-central United States. The growth range extends from Florida to New Jersey coast, and west to eastern Texas and Oklahoma. It has been extensive ...
, used for jams and wine. Native to the
Southeastern United States The Southeastern United States, also referred to as the American Southeast or simply the Southeast, is a geographical List of regions in the United States, region of the United States. It is located broadly on the eastern portion of the south ...
from
Delaware Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacent ...
to the
Gulf of Mexico The Gulf of Mexico ( es, Golfo de México) is an ocean basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, largely surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United ...
. #''
Vitis rupestris ''Vitis rupestris'' is a species of grape native to the United States that is known by many common names including July, Coon, sand, sugar, beach, bush, currant, ingar, rock, and mountain grape. It is used for breeding several French-American ...
'', the rock grapevine, used for breeding of Phylloxera resistant rootstock. Native to the
Southern United States The Southern United States (sometimes Dixie, also referred to as the Southern States, the American South, the Southland, or simply the South) is a geographic and cultural region of the United States of America. It is between the Atlantic Ocean ...
. #''
Vitis vinifera ''Vitis vinifera'', the common grape vine, is a species of flowering plant, native to the Mediterranean region, Central Europe, and southwestern Asia, from Morocco and Portugal north to southern Germany and east to northern Iran. There are cur ...
'', 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 A synonym is a word, morpheme, or phrase that means exactly or nearly the same as another word, morpheme, or phrase in a given language. For example, in the English language, the words ''begin'', ''start'', ''commence'', and ''initiate'' are al ...
of ''V. riparia''. ''
Plants of the World Online Plants of the World Online (POWO) is an online database published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. It was launched in March 2017 with the ultimate aim being "to enable users to access information on all the world's known seed-bearing plants by ...
'' also includes:Plants of the World Online: ''Vitis'' (retrieved 24 December 2021)
/ref> # ''
Vitis acerifolia ''Vitis acerifolia'' is a species of grape native to the south-central part of the Great Plains of the United States (Kansas, Oklahoma, northern Texas, eastern Colorado, and northeastern New Mexico).Great Plains Flora Association. 1986. Fl. Great ...
'' Raf. # ''
Vitis aestivalis ''Vitis aestivalis'', the summer grape, or pigeon grape is a species of grape native to eastern North America from southern Ontario east to Maine, west to Oklahoma, and south to Florida and Texas. It is a vigorous vine, growing to 10 m or more h ...
'' Michx. # '' Vitis baihuashanensis'' M.S.Kang & D.Z.Lu # '' Vitis balansana'' Planch. # ''
Vitis bashanica ''Vitis'' (grapevine) 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 ...
'' P.C.He # ''
Vitis bellula ''Vitis bellula'', commonly known as the beautiful grape or small leaf hair grape, is a Chinese liana (woody vine) in the grape family. It is native to the provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, Hubei Hubei (; ; alternately Hupeh) is a landl ...
'' (Rehder) W.T.Wang # '' Vitis betulifolia'' Diels & Gilg # ''
Vitis biformis ''Vitis'' (grapevine) 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 ...
'' Rose # ''
Vitis blancoi ''Vitis blancoi'' is a species of liana in the grape family which bears black berries A berry is a small, pulpy, and often edible fruit. Typically, berries are juicy, rounded, brightly colored, sweet, sour or tart, and do not have a stone ...
'' Munson # ''
Vitis bloodworthiana ''Vitis'' (grapevine) 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 ...
'' Comeaux # ''
Vitis bourgaeana ''Vitis'' (grapevine) 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 ...
'' Planch. # ''
Vitis bryoniifolia ''Vitis bryoniifolia'' is a prolific and adaptable, polygamo-dioecious species of climbing vine in the grape family native to China, where it is known as ''ying yu'', or ''hua bei pu tao'' (North China grape). The variant form ''ternata'' is k ...
'' Bunge # ''
Vitis californica ''Vitis californica'', with common name In biology, a common name of a taxon or organism (also known as a vernacular name, English name, colloquial name, country name, popular name, or farmer's name) is a name that is based on the normal langu ...
'' Benth. # ''
Vitis × champinii ''Vitis'' × ''champinii'', or Champin's grape, is a hybrid grape resulting from the natural hybridization of '' Vitis mustangensis'' with ''Vitis rupestris''. Its native range is the Edwards Plateau The Edwards Plateau is a geographic regi ...
'' Planch. # ''
Vitis chunganensis ''Vitis chunganensis'' is a species of climbing vine in the grape family native to China (Anhui, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, Jiangxi, and Zhejiang provinces). In Chinese it is called ''dong nan pu tao'', or Southeast grape. Habita ...
'' Hu # ''
Vitis chungii ''Vitis chungii'' is a polygamo-dioecious species of wild grape native to China (in Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, and Jiangxi provinces) where it is known by the name ''min gan pu tao'', or Fujian Jianxi grape. It is a forest inhabitant, 200 ...
'' F.P.Metcalf # ''
Vitis cinerea ''Vitis cinerea'', the graybark grape, is a variety of grape. It has small black berries A berry is a small, pulpy, and often edible fruit. Typically, berries are juicy, rounded, brightly colored, sweet, sour or tart, and do not have a sto ...
'' (Engelm.) Millardet # '' Vitis coignetiae'' Pulliat ex Planch. # ''
Vitis davidi ''Vitis'' (grapevine) 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, ...
'' (Rom.Caill.) Foëx # '' Vitis × doaniana'' Munson ex Viala # '' Vitis erythrophylla'' W.T.Wang # '' Vitis fengqinensis'' C.L.Li # ''
Vitis ficifolia ''Vitis ficifolia'' is a species of liana in the grape family native to the Asian temperate climate zone. It is found in mainland China (Hebei, Henan, Jiangsu, Shaanxi, Shandong and Shanxi provinces), Japan (prefectures of Hokkaido, Honshu, Kyu ...
'' Bunge # ''
Vitis flavicosta ''Vitis'' (grapevine) 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, ...
'' Mickel & Beitel # '' Vitis flexuosa'' Thunb. # '' Vitis girdiana'' Munson # '' Vitis hancockii'' Hance # '' Vitis heyneana'' Schult. # '' Vitis hissarica'' Vassilcz. # ''
Vitis hui ''Vitis hui'' is a species of plant in the grape family. It is native to Jiangxi and Zhejiang provinces in China, where it is called ''lu shan pu tao'', meaning Mount Lushan grape. It grows in temperate climes, at elevations between 100 and 200& ...
'' W.C.Cheng # '' Vitis jaegeriana'' Comeaux # '' Vitis jinggangensis'' W.T.Wang # '' Vitis jinzhainensis'' X.S.Shen # '' 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 ''Vitis mustangensis'', commonly known as the mustang grape, is a species of grape that is native to the southern United States. Its range includes parts of Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Texas, and Oklahoma Oklahoma (; Choctaw: ; ch ...
'' 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 qinlingensis'' 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 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 A cultivar is a type of cultivated plant that people have selected for desired traits and when propagated retain those traits. Methods used to propagate cultivars include: division, root and stem cuttings, offsets, grafting, tissue culture, ...
of grapevines; most are cultivars of ''V. vinifera''. One of them includes,
Vitis 'Ornamental Grape' ''Vitis'' 'Ornamental Grape', also known as ornamental grapevine, Ganzin glory, glory vine and crimson glory, is a nonfruiting ornamental plant that is a hybrid of ''Vitis vinifera'' (Aramon noir) and ''Vitis rupestris'' (Alicante Ganzin).Ganzin, ...
. 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 Grape phylloxera is an insect pest of commercial grapevines worldwide, originally native to eastern North America. Grape phylloxera (''Daktulosphaira vitifoliae'' (Fitch 1855) belong to the family Phylloxeridae, within the order Hemiptera, bu ...
), but wine from some hybrids may have a little of the characteristic "foxy" taste of ''V. labrusca''. The
Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through ...
word ''Vitis'' is feminine, and therefore adjectival species names take feminine forms, such as ''V. vinifera''.


Ecology

Phylloxera Grape phylloxera is an insect pest of commercial grapevines worldwide, originally native to eastern North America. Grape phylloxera (''Daktulosphaira vitifoliae'' (Fitch 1855) belong to the family Phylloxeridae, within the order Hemiptera, bu ...
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 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
larva A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle. ...
e of some
Lepidoptera Lepidoptera ( ) is an order of insects that includes butterflies and moths (both are called lepidopterans). About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera are described, in 126 families and 46 superfamilies, 10 percent of the total described speci ...
species.


Commercial distribution

According to the UN's
Food and Agriculture Organization The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)french: link=no, Organisation des Nations unies pour l'alimentation et l'agriculture; it, Organizzazione delle Nazioni Unite per l'Alimentazione e l'Agricoltura is an intern ...
(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,
pergola A pergola is most commonly an outdoor garden feature forming a shaded walkway, passageway, or sitting area of vertical posts or pillars that usually support cross-beams and a sturdy open lattice, often upon which woody vines are trained. T ...
s 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 Chardonnay (, , ) is a green-skinned grape variety used in the production of white wine. The variety originated in the Burgundy wine region of eastern France, but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand. For new ...
' (white wine) *' Foster's Seedling' (white dessert) *' Muscat of Alexandria' (white dessert) *'
Müller-Thurgau Müller-Thurgau is a white grape variety (sp. '' Vitis vinifera'') which was created by Hermann Müller from the Swiss Canton of Thurgau in 1882 at the Geisenheim Grape Breeding Institute in Germany. It is a crossing of Riesling with Madelein ...
' (white wine) *' Phoenix' (white wine) *'
Pinot noir Pinot Noir () is a red-wine grape variety of the species ''Vitis vinifera''. The name may also refer to wines created predominantly from pinot noir grapes. The name is derived from the French words for ''pine'' and ''black.'' The word ''pine ...
' (red wine) *'
Regent A regent (from Latin : ruling, governing) is a person appointed to govern a state '' pro tempore'' (Latin: 'for the time being') because the monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge the powers and duties of the monarchy ...
' (red wine) *' Schiava Grossa' (red dessert) *' Seyval blanc' (white wine) The following varieties have gained the
Royal Horticultural Society The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity. The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr (Nor ...
's
Award of Garden Merit The Award of Garden Merit (AGM) is a long-established annual award for plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is based on assessment of the plants' performance under UK growing conditions. History The 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 Wine is an alcoholic drink typically made from Fermentation in winemaking, fermented grapes. Yeast in winemaking, Yeast consumes the sugar in the grapes and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Different ...
. ''Vitis vinifera'' is the most important such species. The
leaves A leaf ( : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, st ...
of several species of grapevine are edible and are used in the production of
dolmades Dolma (Turkish for “stuffed”) is a family of stuffed dishes associated with Ottoman cuisine, and common in modern national cuisines of regions and countries that once were part of the Ottoman Empire. Some types of dolma are made with whol ...
and Vietnamese lot leaves.


Culture

The grapevine (typically ''Vitis vinifera'') has been used as a symbol since ancient times. In
Greek mythology A major branch of classical mythology, Greek mythology is the body of myths originally told by the ancient Greeks, and a genre of Ancient Greek folklore. These stories concern the origin and nature of the world, the lives and activities o ...
,
Dionysus In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, myth, Dionysus (; grc, wikt:Διόνυσος, Διόνυσος ) is the god of the grape-harvest, winemaking, orchards and fruit, vegetation, fertility, insanity, ritual madness, religious ecstas ...
(called
Bacchus In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, myth, Dionysus (; grc, wikt:Διόνυσος, Διόνυσος ) is the god of the grape-harvest, winemaking, orchards and fruit, vegetation, fertility, insanity, ritual madness, religious ecstas ...
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
Bacchanalia The Bacchanalia were unofficial, privately funded popular Roman festivals of Bacchus, based on various ecstatic elements of the Greek Dionysia. They were almost certainly associated with Rome's native cult of Liber, and probably arrived in Rom ...
n festivals hence had the vine as an attribute, together with the
thyrsus A thyrsus /ˈθɜːrsəs/ or thyrsos /ˈθɜːrˌsɒs/ ( Ancient Greek: θύρσος) was a wand or staff of giant fennel (''Ferula communis'') covered with ivy vines and leaves, sometimes wound with taeniae and topped with a pine cone, art ...
, 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 A libation is a ritual pouring of a liquid, or grains such as rice, as an offering to a deity or spirit, or in memory of the dead. It was common in many religions of antiquity and continues to be offered in cultures today. Various substanc ...
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 The Hebrew Bible or Tanakh (;"Tanach"
'' It is regarded as one of the
Seven Species The Seven Species ( he, שִׁבְעַת הַמִינִים, ''Shiv'at HaMinim'') are seven agricultural products - two grains and five fruits - which are listed in the Hebrew Bible as being special products of the Land of Israel. The seven specie ...
, and is employed several times in the Bible as a symbol of the
Israelites The Israelites (; , , ) were a group of Semitic-speaking tribes in the ancient Near East who, during the Iron Age, inhabited a part of Canaan. The earliest recorded evidence of a people by the name of Israel appears in the Merneptah Stele o ...
as the
chosen people Throughout history, various groups of people have considered themselves to be the chosen people of a deity, for a particular purpose. The phenomenon of a "chosen people" is well known among the Israelites and Jews, where the term ( he, עם ס� ...
., The grapevine has a prominent place in Jewish rituals: the wine was given a special blessing, "creator of the fruit of the vine", and the
Kiddush Kiddush (; he, קידוש ), literally, "sanctification", is a blessing recited over wine or grape juice to sanctify the Shabbat and Jewish holidays. Additionally, the word refers to a small repast held on Shabbat or festival mornings after th ...
blessing is recited over wine or grape juice on
Shabbat Shabbat (, , or ; he, שַׁבָּת, Šabbāṯ, , ) or the Sabbath (), also called Shabbos (, ) by Ashkenazim, is Judaism's day of rest on the seventh day of the week—i.e., Saturday. On this day, religious Jews remember the biblical stori ...
and
Jewish holidays Jewish holidays, also known as Jewish festivals or ''Yamim Tovim'' ( he, ימים טובים, , Good Days, or singular , in transliterated Hebrew []), are holidays observed in Judaism and by JewsThis article focuses on practices of mainst ...
. It is also employed in various parables and sayings in rabbinic literature. According to
Josephus Flavius Josephus (; grc-gre, Ἰώσηπος, ; 37 – 100) was a first-century Romano-Jewish historian and military leader, best known for '' The Jewish War'', who was born in Jerusalem—then part of Roman Judea—to a father of priestly ...
and the
Mishnah The Mishnah or the Mishna (; he, מִשְׁנָה, "study by repetition", from the verb ''shanah'' , or "to study and review", also "secondary") is the first major written collection of the Jewish oral traditions which is known as the Oral Tor ...
, a golden vine was hung over the inner chamber of the
Second Temple The Second Temple (, , ), later known as Herod's Temple, was the reconstructed Temple in Jerusalem between and 70 CE. It replaced Solomon's Temple, which had been built at the same location in the United Kingdom of Israel before being inherited ...
. The grapevine is featured on Hasmonean and Bar Kokhba revolt coinage, and as a decoration in mosaic floors of
ancient synagogues Ancient history is a time period from the beginning of writing and recorded human history to as far as late antiquity. The span of recorded history is roughly 5,000 years, beginning with the Sumerian cuneiform script. Ancient history cove ...
. In Christian
iconography Iconography, as a branch of art history, studies the identification, description and interpretation of the content of images: the subjects depicted, the particular compositions and details used to do so, and other elements that are distinct fro ...
, the vine also frequently appears. It is mentioned several times in the
New Testament The New Testament grc, Ἡ Καινὴ Διαθήκη, transl. ; la, Novum Testamentum. (NT) is the second division of the Christian biblical canon. It discusses the teachings and person of Jesus, as well as events in first-century Chris ...
. We have the parable of the
kingdom of heaven Kingdom of Heaven may refer to: Religious * Kingdom of Heaven (Gospel of Matthew) ** Kingship and kingdom of God, or simply Kingdom of God, the phrase used in the other gospels * Kingdom of Heaven (Daviesite), a schismatic sect, founded by Wil ...
likened to the father starting to engage laborers for his vineyard. The vine is used as symbol of
Jesus Christ Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label= Hebrew/ Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and relig ...
based on his own statement, "I am the
true vine The True Vine ( ''hē ampelos hē alēthinē'') is an allegory or parable given by Jesus in the New Testament. Found in John , it describes Jesus' disciples as branches of himself, who is described as the "true vine", and God the Father the "hus ...
(John 15:1)." In that sense, a vine is placed as sole symbol on the tomb of Constantia, the sister of
Constantine the Great Constantine I ( , ; la, Flavius Valerius Constantinus, ; ; 27 February 22 May 337), also known as Constantine the Great, was Roman emperor from AD 306 to 337, the first one to convert to Christianity. Born in Naissus, Dacia Mediterran ...
, and elsewhere. In
Byzantine art Byzantine art comprises the body of Christian Greek artistic products of the Eastern Roman Empire, as well as the nations and states that inherited culturally from the empire. Though the empire itself emerged from the decline of Rome and lasted u ...
, the vine and grapes figure in early
mosaic A mosaic is a pattern or image made of small regular or irregular pieces of colored stone, glass or ceramic, held in place by plaster/mortar, and covering a surface. Mosaics are often used as floor and wall decoration, and were particularly pop ...
s, and on the throne of Maximianus of Ravenna it is used as a decoration. The vine and
wheat Wheat is a grass widely cultivated for its seed, a cereal grain that is a worldwide staple food. The many species of wheat together make up the genus ''Triticum'' ; the most widely grown is common wheat (''T. aestivum''). The archaeologi ...
ear have been frequently used as symbol of the blood and flesh of Christ, hence figuring as symbols (bread and wine) of the
Eucharist The Eucharist (; from Greek , , ), also known as Holy Communion and the Lord's Supper, is a Christian rite that is considered a sacrament in most churches, and as an ordinance in others. According to the New Testament, the rite was institu ...
and are found depicted on ostensories. Often the symbolic vine laden with grapes is found in ecclesiastical decorations with animals biting at the grapes. At times, the vine is used as symbol of temporal blessing. In
Mandaeism Mandaeism (Classical Mandaic: ࡌࡀࡍࡃࡀࡉࡉࡀ ; Arabic: المندائيّة ), sometimes also known as Nasoraeanism or Sabianism, is a Gnostic, monotheistic and ethnic religion. Its adherents, the Mandaeans, revere Adam, Abe ...
,
uthra An uthra or ʿutra ( myz, ࡏࡅࡕࡓࡀ; plural: ʿutri) is a "divine messenger of the light" in Mandaeism. Charles G. Häberl and James F. McGrath translate it as "excellency". Jorunn J. Buckley defines them as "Lightworld beings, called 'u ...
s (angels or celestial beings) are often described as personified grapevines ().


See also

* Vine staff * Annual growth cycle of grapevines *
Old vine Old or OLD may refer to: Places * Old, Baranya, Hungary * Old, Northamptonshire, England *Old Street station, a railway and tube station in London (station code OLD) *OLD, IATA code for Old Town Municipal Airport and Seaplane Base, Old Town, M ...


References


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Further reading

* *


External links

* *
List of 48 descriptors
defined in the GRAPEGEN06 project (selected from the 151 OIV descriptors published in June 2007) {{Authority control Vitaceae genera Vines . Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus Extant Selandian first appearances