Carolina Nature

Trees, Shrubs, and Woody Vines of North Carolina

Possum Grape (Vitis cinerea var. baileyana)

Plantae>Magnoliophyta>Magnoliopsida>Rhamnales>Vitaceae>Vitis cinerea (Engelmann) Engelmann ex Millardet var. baileyana (Munson) Comeaux

Possum Grape (Vitis cinerea var. baileyana)

A common grape of low woods in the Mountains and Piedmont.

Tendrils or inflorescences are present for only 2 nodes in a row versus 3 or more nodes in a row for Fox Grape (Vitis labrusca).

Grayson Co., VA 5/30/2009.

Possum Grape (Vitis cinerea var. baileyana)

The leaves are not whitened beneath.

Grayson Co., VA 5/30/2009.

Possum Grape (Vitis cinerea var. baileyana)

Young branches are angled and relatively smooth, but may be slightly arachnoid-pubescent (covered with spiderweb-like hairs). The nodes tend to be reddish.

Grayson Co., VA 5/30/2009.

Possum Grape (Vitis cinerea var. baileyana)

The leaves are glabrous to slightly arachnoid-pubescent beneath.

Grayson Co., VA 5/30/2009.

Possum Grape (Vitis cinerea var. baileyana)

Listed in the Radford manual as Vitis baileyana, Possum Grape is currently considered to be a variety of the Graybark Grape (Vitis cinerea). Grape taxonomy is somewhat confusing, as you can tell by the lengthy list of authors who named and renamed this species.

Orange Co., NC 5/19/04.

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