Flora of North America species comparison

branchlets terete to slightly angled, usually sparsely grayish arachnoid, glabrescent, growing tips not enveloped by unfolding leaves;

tendrils along length of branchlets, persistent, tendrils (or inflorescences) at only 2 consecutive nodes;

nodes sometimes red-banded.

stipules 1–2 mm;

petiole mostly ± equaling blade;

blade cordate to nearly reniform, 2–12 cm, rarely lobed, apex short acuminate, abaxial surface not glaucous, glabrous, visible through hairs, veins and vein axils sometimes sparsely to densely hirtellous, adaxial surface glabrous.

alternate, simple or palmately or pinnately compound;

stipules present;

petiole present;

blade often palmately lobed, margins dentate, serrate, or crenate;

venation palmate or pinnate.

3–8(–10) cm.

bisexual or functionally unisexual, axillary or terminal and appearing leaf-opposed, cymes or thryses [spikes].

functionally unisexual.

bisexual or unisexual;

perianth and androecium hypogynous;

hypanthium absent;

sepals 4–5(–9), connate most or all of length;

petals (3–)4–5(–9), distinct (connate distally, forming calyptra, in Vitis) [connate basally], valvate, free;

nectary intrastaminal;

stamens (3–)4–5(–9), opposite petals, distinct;

anthers dehiscing by longitudinal slits;

staminodes present in functionally pistillate flowers;

pistil 1, 2[–3]-carpellate, ovary superior, 2[–3]-locular, placentation axile, sometimes appearing parietal;

ovules 2 per locule, apotropous or anatropous;

style 1;

stigma 1 [4].

berries.

usually black or purplish, sometimes bronze when ripe, glaucous, globose, 8–25 mm diam., skin separating from pulp;

lenticels present.

1–4 per fruit.

or lianas, occasionally shrubby [trees], synoecious, dioecious, or polygamomonoecious; commonly with multicellular, stalked, caducous, spheric structures (pearl glands);

tendrils usually present, rarely absent.