Vern. : Angur.

S. NAZIMUDDIN AND M. QAISER

A large shrub, main stem stout, reaching a girth of 1.5 m. Leaves orbicular, cordate, pentagonal or dissected, 10.5-20 x 7-15 cm, serrate or irregularly dentate, acuminate, cordate, glabrous or glabrescent above, sparsely grey tomentose beneath and glabrescent membranous; petiole 4-10 cm long. Peduncle 4-5 cm long, often bearing unbranched tendril. Flower bisexual or functionally pistillate with shorter sterile stamens, greenish in colour, c. 1.5 x 1 mm; pedicel c. 2 mm long, wiry, elongated and thickened in fruit. Calyx minute, cupular. Petals 5, c. 1.5 mm long, ± lanceolate. Disc with 5 hypogynous glands, adnate to the base of ovary. Berry variable in size, shape and colour, 6-22 mm long, purple, black-violet, red, pinkish or greenish, 2-4 seeded, with juicy sweet or sour pulp. Seed pyriform or ovoid, 5-6 mm long, beaked.

Fl. Per.: May -July. Fr. Per:August-October.

Distribution: Native habitat unknown, probably native of Caspian and Caucaus region of S.W. Asia, cultivated extensively in Cent. Europe, Mediteranian, region, Iran, China, Japan, N. & S. Africa, Australia, India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. In Pakistan it is cultivated in Baluchistan, Chitral, Swat, Baltistan, Astor & Kashmir.

Several horticultural varieties of grape are grown in Pakistan, many of them are hybrid between Vitis rotundifolia Mich., Vitis labrusca L., Vitis rupestris Sch. or Vitis gegas. Md. Asghar Ginai,( Treatise on Hort. 426-439.1968) mentions about 36 varieties of grapes in Pakistan.