Mr. Dove tas, by Messrs. Lewis and Crarxe, and b Dr. 
Scouter, in countries extending from lat. 48°, in California, 
to 52° N. Most of the species of this Genus hitherto known 
to us, recommend themselves by the excellence of their fruit: 
their flowers being insignificant, both as to size and colour : 
here we have a species remarkable for the fine purplish red 
of the numerous clusters of flowers and the delicate green 
of the copiously veined foliage. But in proportion to the 
beauty of the flowers, in this instance, is the worthlessness 
of the fruit, which, though it has not, that I am aware, been 
produced in this country, is described by Mr. Doveuas as 
*‘ turbinate, brownish-black, bitter, having a tough, lea- 
thery, thick skin, with numerous minute, angular seeds, 
adhering together by a small portion of limpid, viscid, 
mucus, and completely destitute of the pulpy substance 
common to most species of the tribe.’ The whole plant 
possesses the peculiar fragrance of our black currant, Rises 
nigrum. It is easily increased by cuttings, thriving well 
even in the West of Scotland, and in the early spring, 
before the foliage appears, it is rendered conspicuous by 
the copious racemes of flowers, which last till the full ex- 
_ pansion of the leaves. 
Descr. An upright shrub, with the numerous branches 
clothed with a brown bark. Leaves broadly cordate, 5-lobed, 
unequally serrated, copiously reticulated with veins, of a 
bright, pleasant, velvety green, and almost glabrous on the 
upper side, paler and downy beneath. Petzoles glandular. 
Peduncles and Pedicels purplish, glandular, as are the ob- 
long, rather large bracteas. There are besides two small 
bracteas at the base of the germen. Flowers bright rose- 
red. Calyx tubular, externally, as well as the inferior 
germen, glandular: Segments of the limb oblong, patent, 
obtuse. Petals obovate, entire, erect, red, shorter than the 
calyx. Stamens as long as the petals. Style cloven at the 
apex. Stigma small, capitate. 
Fig 1. Flower: magnified. 
