Characterization of Wild Vines in La Rioja (Spain)

¹ Departamento de Agricultura, Universidad de La Rioja, Avda. de la Paz, 105, 26004 Logroño, La Rioja. Spain

fernando.martinezdetoda{at}daa.unirioja.es

The largest population of wild vines located to date in La Rioja is studied, with the following objectives: (1) application of the criteria proposed by Levadoux for the characterization of material: foliar and seed morphology and the sex of the individual plants; and (2) determination of the wild vine types to which they belong: post cultivated, sub-spontaneous or spontaneous, and within this last group, whether they are colonials, autochthonous, or hybrids. Although the population shows a marked sylvestris character, it cannot be concluded that it is purely autochthonous, and should be considered as spontaneous and of hybrid type — that is, the result of the hybridization of autochthonous wild vines with other post-cultivated or subspontaneous forms.

Key words: wild vines, V. vinifera subsp. sylvestris, La Rioja, sex, morphology, leaves, seeds

Submitted on February 9, 1999
Revised on May 10, 1999