Vitis riparia (Riverbank Grape)
Family
VITACEAE
Synonyms
VITIS RIPARIA MICHX. VAR. PRAECOX; VITIS RIPARIA MICHX. VAR. SYRTICOLA; VITIS VULPINA; VITIS VULPINA L. SSP. RIPARIA; VITIS VULPINA L. VAR. SYRTICOLA
Common Name
Riverbank Grape
Description
A grape differing from our common V. arizonica Engelm. by having nodal diaphragms less than 1 mm wide (rather that > 1 mm wide) and with growing tips enveloped by enlarging and unfolding leaves (rather than not being enveloped). It is much more similar to V. acerifolia Raf., which has pubescence on the growing tips and branchlets of the season. V. acerifolia also has smaller inflorescences, less than 8 cm long.
Distribution
Eastern North America, as far west as western North Dakota, eastern Wyoming, central Kansas and Oklahoma, and extreme eastern Texas (Moore, unpubl.).
Habitat
Inhabitating a wide variety of habitats but preferring moist soils, stream banks, pond margins, alluvial woodlands, but also on roadsides, hedge rows and fence rows, 5-1700 m (Moore 1991, unpubl.); On trees and cliffs in open woodlands, along streams and in canyons (Correll and Johnston 1970).
Remarks
There are no certain records from New Mexico of this common eastern North American species. Correl and Johnston (1970) cite the range of the species to include New Mexico. Moore (1991) cites no records of the species from New Mexico, nor does he indicate it to occur in the state (he notes reports from the Pacific Northwest). Martin and Hutchins do not record V. riparia from New Mexico, but indicate that V. longii Prince (a synonym of V. acerifolia) occurs in the northeastern part of the state.
Conservation Considerations
Probably not in New Mexico; if so, then peripheral. Common in eastern North America.
Important Literature
Correll, D.S., and M.C. Johnston. 1970. Manual of the Vascular Plants of Texas. Texas Research Foundaton, Renner. 1881 pp.
Moore, M.O. 1991. Classification and systematics of eastern North American Vitis L. (Vitaceae) north of Mexico. Sida 14(3):339-367.
Moore, M.O. Unpublished. Vitaceae, in Flora of North America North of Mexico, 60 manuscript pages + maps.
Information Compiled By
Richard Spellenberg 1998
For distribution maps and more information, visit Natural Heritage New Mexico