Vitis rotundifolia
Vitis aestivalis
muscadine, scuppernong
summer grape, summer or post oak or big summer or silverleaf or blue grape, vigne d'été
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.
bark exfoliating in shreds;
nodal diaphragms 1–4 mm thick;
branchlets terete, tomentose, arachnoid-floccose, or glabrous, growing tips not enveloped by unfolding leaves;
tendrils along length of branchlets, persistent, tendrils (or inflorescences) at only 2 consecutive nodes;
nodes not 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.
stipules 1–4 mm;
petiole ± equaling blade;
blade cordate to orbiculate, 7–25 cm, unlobed to 3-shouldered or 3–5-lobed, sometimes deeply so, apex acute to short acuminate, abaxial surface glaucous, ± arachnoid or floccose, visible through hairs, hairs usually rusty, sometimes whitish, veins and vein axils sometimes hirtellous, adaxial surface glabrous or puberulent.
3–8(–10) cm.
7–20 cm.
functionally unisexual.
functionally unisexual.
usually black or purplish, sometimes bronze when ripe, glaucous, globose, 8–25 mm diam., skin separating from pulp;
lenticels present.
black, glaucous, globose, 8–20 mm diam., skin separating from pulp;
lenticels absent.
= 38.
Vitis rotundifolia
Vitis aestivalis
Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Vitis aestivalis is sometimes confused with V. cinerea. However, the glaucous abaxial leaf surfaces, more heavily glaucous and larger berries, terete branchlets that are less evenly pubescent, preference for better drained, drier habitats, and earlier blooming period distinguish V. aestivalis from V. cinerea.
Several varieties have been recognized based on leaf and young stem pubescence and fruit sizes (B. L. Comeaux et al. 1987; M. O. Moore 1991). The boundaries of the varieties are highly inconsistent and it is often difficult to apply the varietal concepts in the field. Recent molecular evidence supports the monophyly of V. aestivalis, but none of the varieties were supported as monophyletic (Wan Y. et al. 2013).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Berries 15–25 mm diam., usually 2–8 per infructescence; seeds 9+ mm. | var. rotundifolia |
1. Berries 8–12 mm diam., 12–30 per infructescence; seeds to 6 mm. | var. munsoniana |
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