In a Vitis vinifera L. vineyard, located in Jales, SP, some plants of the cultivar "Italia" showed in 1993 different characteristics of this and of other cultivars of the same genus. In a given branch, flowers presented anthesis from the apex to the basis, a situation opposite to the normally found. Flowers presented short pedicel, almost sessile; the corolla, at anthesis did not form a calyptra (apical dehiscence), the filaments were short, the stygma was sessile, the ovary was globose, and the nectaries were little developed. It is suggested that ontogenetical changes occurred establishing these unusual characteristics for this genus, although they were also present in correlated genera such as Cissus, Parthenocissus and Ampelopsis (Vitaceae).
Vitis vinifera; Italy grape; unusual inflorescences