Vitis shuttleworthii
House
Calloosa grape, Leatherleaf
iNaturalist· cc-by
(c) Jay Horn, some rights reserved (CC BY)
iNaturalist· cc-by
(c) Jay Horn, some rights reserved (CC BY)
iNaturalist· cc-by
(c) Jay Horn, some rights reserved (CC BY)
Summary
Source: WikipediaVitis shuttleworthii is a North American liana (woody vine) in the grape family commonly known as the calloose grape or bear grape (alternatively referred as calusa grape). The name refers to the group of Native American people that resided in southwest Florida, the Calusa. It is native to south and central Florida, with isolated populations in southern Alabama. The species was first described in 1887 using the name Vitis coriacea. However, this name had already been used for an Asian plant, so it was necessary to coin another name of the American species, now called V. shuttleworthii.
Description
A climbing plant. The branches shed their bark. The leaves are heart shaped and 4-12 cm long. They sometimes have 3-5 lobes. The flowering shoots are 4-10 cm long. The fruit are dark red to purple-black. They are round and 12 mm across.
Edible Uses
The ripe fruit are eaten raw or used to make jelly. The young leaves and stems are cooked and eaten. Sap from old stems is drunk.
Traditional Uses
The ripe fruit are eaten raw. They are also used for jelly. The young leaves and stems are cooked and eaten. Sap from the old stems is drunk.
This uses section is brief — help expand it
Distribution
It is a temperate plant.
Where It Grows
North America, USA,
Dangerous Lookalikes
This plant can be confused with the following toxic species. Always verify identification carefully before consuming any wild plant.
Canadian Moonseed
Menispermum canadense
Cbaile19
Calloosa grape
Vitis shuttleworthii
(c) Jay Horn, some rights reserved (CC BY)
Canadian Moonseed: No tendrils, single crescent/moon-shaped seed, leaf stem attaches to underside of leaf.
Calloosa grape: Vine with tendrils, round seeds, leaf stem at edge of leaf, bark that peels.
References (4)
- Amer. Midl. Naturalist 7:129. 1921
- Facciola, S., 1998, Cornucopia 2: a Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, p 246
- Kermath, B. M., et al, 2014, Food Plants in the Americas: A survey of the domesticated, cultivated and wild plants used for Human food in North, Central and South America and the Caribbean. On line draft. p 923
- Morton,
