Morphological and anatomical development in the Vitaceae. I. Vegetative development in Vitis riparia

The vegetative development of natural populations of Vitis riparia is reported in detail for the first time, using a combination of three-dimensional and histological techniques. The initiation of both uncommitted primordia (which can develop into either inflorescences or tendrils) and leaf primordia is documented and correlated with their position in the primordium initiation cycle. There are four possible states: (i) a leaf at a lower tendril node, which arises on the flank of a dome-shaped apex directly above a leaf; (ii) a leaf at either an upper tendril node or a tendrilless node, which arises on the flank of a broad apex directly above a tendril; (iii) a lower uncommitted primordium, which arises very high on the apical flank, separated from the subjacent leaf by the initiation of one primordium on the opposite side of the apex; and (iv) an upper uncommitted primordium, which arises on the apical flank, separated from the subjacent leaf by the initiation of two primordia on the opposite side of the apex. This study shows that there is evidence to support the view that the uncommitted primordium is both terminal and lateral. We have extended the reports of the presence of tendril hydathodes in Vitis to this species. Axillary bud initiation and development are the same as has been reported for other species of Vitis, with each winter bud being initiated in the axil of the basal prophyll of the previous one.