Grape (Family Vitaceae)

Vitaceae, the grape family of flowering plants, in the buckthorn order
(Rhamnales), comprising 12 genera of woody plants, most of them

tendril-bearing vines. The largest genus, which is pantropic in distri-

bution, is Cissus, containing about 350 species.

Vitaceae is widespread in warmer climates and some in temperate

regions.

Vitis, with about 60 to 70 species, is the one genus in the family of

great economic importance; it includes the European wine grape

(Vitis vinifera) and the North American fox grape (Vitis labrusca),

the parent species of most of the cultivated slipskin American grapes.

Vitis is the source of table- grapes, raisins and wine grapes and the

commonly cultivated climbing ornamentals Virginia creeper and

Boston ivy.

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