Vol. XIV. pp. 1-6 March 9, 1901 



PROCEEDINGS 



OF THE 



BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON 



RIBES COLORADENSE, AN UNDESCRIBED CURRANT 



FROM THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS OF 



COLORADO. 



BY FREDERICK V. COVILLE. 



Several months ago in examining a collection of Ribes made 

 by Mr. C. L. Shear in Colorado in 1896 and 1897, I found a 

 fruiting specimen of the Rocky Mountain plant that has hith- 

 erto been identified by botanists with the species of the eastern 

 United States, Ji. prosfrafiwi L'Her. The specimen had, how- 

 ever, black instead of red fruit, and on a critical examination 

 other differences were developed. A search in the herbarium 

 brought to light a few other specimens of this plant, in flower 

 as well as in fruit, which have furnished excellent material for 

 description, but the surprising fact was developed that the 

 fruiting specimens on the type sheet of Bibes icolfii Rothr., 

 which is in the National Herbarium, were identical with our 

 plant. It became necessary, therefore, to make a critical ex- 

 amination of Dr. Rothrock's species. 



liihes loolfil* was described from specimens collected in Col- 

 orado, those in flower from Mosquito Pass, those in fruit from 



*Rothrock, Am. Nat. 8 :358. 1874. 



1— Biol. Soc. Wash. Vol. XIV, 1901. (1) 



