HIMALAYAN WILD GRAPE
(Vitis parviflora)
A portion of wild Himalayan grape vine
Family: Vitaceae
Synonyms: Vitis flexuosa
Himalayan wild grape (numerous common names) grows in Himalayan region from Pakistan, India, Nepal and then also in Western and Central China.
This is a deciduous climber that may ascend to a height of about 5 metres. It is fond in subtropical parts of Nepal.
Description:
A deciduous trailing climber, branchlets terete, with longitudinal ridges, with sparse arachnoid tomentum when young, becoming glabrescent; tendrils bifurcate.
A leaf of wild Himalayan grape
Leaves simple; stipules caducous; petiole 1.5-7 cm, with sparse arachnoid tomentum or subglabrate; leaf blade ovate, triangular-ovate, oval, or ovate-elliptic, 2.5-12 × 2.3-10 cm, abaxially with sparse arachnoid tomentum when young, eventually glabrescent, basal veins 5, lateral veins 4 or 5 pairs, veinlets inconspicuous, base slightly subcordate or subtruncate, rarely cordate, often asymmetrical, leaves with cordate bases with obtusely angled notch, margin with 5-12 slightly irregular teeth on each side, apex acute or acuminate; panicle leaf-opposed, loose, 4-12 cm, basal branches well developed, or short and slender; peduncle 2-5 cm, with sparse arachnoid tomentum or nearly glabrescent. Pedicel 1.1-2.5 mm, glabrous.
An inflorescence of wild Himalayan grape
Buds obovoid, 2-3 mm, apex rounded and subtruncate; calyx glabrous, undulately lobed; filaments filiform, 0.7-1.3 mm; anthers yellow, oval, 0.4-0.6 mm; pistil abortive in male flowers; ovary oval; style short.
wild Himalayan grape berries
Berry globose, 8-10 mm in diam.
Seeds obovoid, apex subrounded, chalazal knot elliptic, raphe slightly raised and surface smooth, ventral holes furrowed upward 1/4 from base.
Utilization:
The fruits are very sweet and have a delicate flavour too. These are widely eaten by local people. These are also sold at some places.
Cultivation:
The fruits of Himalayan wild grape are collected from wild everywhere. This fruit has still not brought under cultivation.