Vitaceae

The Vitaceae, also called the grape family, is a family of flowering plants that has 20 genera and around 910 known species in its monotypic order Vitales, including common plants such as grapevines (Vitis spp.) and Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia). The family name is derived from the genus Vitis. Most of its members are distributed in tropical areas and many are dominant climbers with ecological significance, but some could be shrubs or tree. Some species of genus Tetrastigma serve as hosts to parasitic plants in another family Rafflesiaceae. Some produce pearl bodies that may be a defense trait and a food source for arthropods. In general, members of Vitaceae show a high variety in their chromosome number. The numbers could be used to differentiate species, but the differences in numbers can also make it difficult to hybridize. 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. The extant species of Vitaceae are widespread and so is the fossil record.