Discovery History and Origin
The grapevine species Vitis blancoii was identified by the viticulturist T. V. Munson in 1890 based on herbarium specimens provided to him. The plant was discovered in the wild in 1888 by the researcher Luciano Blanco in the Sierra Madre Mountains, located in western Mexico (near the city of Guadalajara).
The appearance of the leaves and young shoots initially provided grounds to consider this plant a variety of the species Vitis caribæa. However, the entire, lanceolate and cordate leaves with inconspicuous teeth, as well as the specific shape of the fruits and seeds, allow it to be classified as an independent botanical species. Data on the possibilities and characteristics of the cultural cultivation of this grapevine are currently unavailable.
Synonyms
- Vitis blancoii Munson
- Blanco's Grape
Morphological Description of Shoots
Young and mature shoots are characterized by the following features:
- Stems: slender, wavy, with weakly defined longitudinal grooves and ridges. At the tips of the shoots, there is abundant pubescence in the form of flocculent, pinkish-white hairs.
- Internodes and nodes: internodes are short, and the nodes are highly pronounced, standing out clearly on the stem.
- Buds: large, pointed in shape, and well-visible.
- Tendrils: slender, discontinuously arranged, and divided into two branches.
Characteristics of Leaves
The leaves are medium to small in size. Their maximum length is 14 centimeters, and the width is 11 centimeters (the length significantly exceeds the width). The shape of the leaf blade is lanceolate, entire, narrowing at the apex into a long point and having a rounded base. Lateral sinuses are virtually absent and are marked only as slight depressions. The petiolar sinus is open and shallow. The teeth are small, sharp, serrate, regular, and strongly pointed.
The veins are strong, highly prominent on the lower side of the blade, and well-visible on the upper side. The upper surface of the leaf is smooth or slightly wavy, with sparse awl-shaped hairs at the points of divergence of the main veins. The lower surface is covered with a dense, uniform, and rather thick felt-like pubescence of a milky-white or yellowish-white shade. The petiole of the leaf is slender, short, and covered with whitish fuzz.
Description of Fruits and Seeds
Fruit clusters and berries have the following parameters:
- Cluster: small in size, cylindrical-elongated in shape, and relatively dense. The cluster peduncle is short and strong. The berry pedicels are short, slender, provided with a disk-shaped thickening and large verrucose formations.
- Berries: small, spherical, dark purple, almost black in color. The flesh is low in juice, and the skin is thick and tough.
- Seeds: 2 to 4 seeds are formed in each berry. The seeds are small, triangular in shape, 4 millimeters long and 3.5 millimeters wide, widening significantly toward the upper part (the appearance of the seeds is shown in fig. 650–651).
