Vitaceae Temporal range:
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Vitis vinifera, wine grapes | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Vitales Juss. ex Bercht. & J.Presl |
Family: | Vitaceae Juss., nom. cons. |
Synonyms[2] | |
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The Vitaceae are a family of flowering plants, with 14 genera and around 910 known species,[3] including common plants such as grapevines (Vitis spp.) and Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia). The family name is derived from the genus Vitis.
Most Vitis species have 38 chromosomes (n=19), but 40 (n=20) in subgenus Muscadinia, while Ampelocissus, Parthenocissus, and Ampelopsis also have 40 chromosomes (n=20) and Cissus has 24 chromosomes (n=12).
The family is economically important as the berries of Vitis species, commonly known as grapes, are an important fruit crop and, when fermented, produce wine.
Species of the genus Tetrastigma serve as hosts to parasitic plants in the family Rafflesiaceae.