One of around 30 American species or wild vines with the full botanical name Vitis rotundifolia Michx. The name honours the French botanist André Michaux (1746-1802). It is the only species of the vine subgenus Muscadinia. Strictly speaking, it should therefore be called Muscadinia rotundifolia. In many sources, however, the name Vitis rotundifolia is used. Trivial synonyms are Bird Grape, Bullace Grape, Bullit Grape, Currant Grape, Muscadine Grape, Roanoke, Southern Fox Grape and Vigne Musquée.

The subgenus Muscadinia has only one species, namely Vitis rotundifoliawith three subspecies. Vitis rotundifolia ssp. rotundifolia colonises the south-eastern quarter of the USA from Indiana to Texas. It thrives best where cotton grows, in bushes, along rivers, in swamps, but also on sandy valley floors. Vitis rotundifolia ssp. popenoei, with the trivial synonym Totoloche Grape, grows mainly in areas with subtropical and tropical climates in central Mexico and some Central American countries such as Belize and Guatemala. Vitis rotundifolia ssp. munsoniana is restricted to Florida.
![]()
The glossary is a monumental achievement and one of the most important contributions to wine knowledge. Of all the encyclopaedias I use on the subject of wine, it is by far the most important. That was the case ten years ago and it hasn't changed since.
Andreas Essl
Autor, Modena