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| leaf, showing typical leaf shape--what kind of venation is present here? Is this leaf simple or compound? | the undersides of the leaves of mustang grape are covered by a dense mat of fine hairs (a tomentum), giving the surface a whitish color |
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| more leaves--these leaves are deeply lobed in this individual. In Vitis mustangensis, the leaves can vary greatly in the amount of lobing, even within the same individual! | leaves and tendrils--notice how the tendrils are opposite the leaves |
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| flower buds in Spring--do you notice how the inflorescence is opposite a leaf? Just as in tendrils, the flowers (and thus the fruits) are always opposite the leaves. | developing fruit--these will ripen black or purple... |
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| ...as you see here. These grapes can be fairly bitter! | habit--when mustang grape gets old, it can cover up whole shrubs (like this individual) or even trees! |
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| mustang grape vines can grow very large, producing a thick woody trunk (woody vines are called lianas)... | ...that may extend many feet up into the trees (in other words, the first leaves that you encounter on this vine may be 20 feet up!)--watch out, Tarzan! |
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| close-up of the flowers | inflorescence a compact, compound panicle opposite the leaf |
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| an individual flower | another inflorescence - here you can see the perianth parts curved back |
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