272 THE SMALL FRUITS OF NEW YORK 



lets, if present, at the base of the pedicels and hidden by the bracts. Ovary bristly, glandu- 

 lar, hairy or smooth; receptacle varying from broadly campanulate to cylindrical; sepals, 

 petals, and stamens 4-5 ; style thin, more or less bifid. Fruit not disartictdating from the 

 pedicels, usually larger than in Ribes, smooth, glandular, or prickly. 



This genus, comprising the Gooseberries, is usually treated as a sub- 

 genus or a section of Ribes; but gooseberries are widely separated from cur- 

 rants in several important botanical characters, and are so different pomo- 

 logically, that it seems best to put them in a separate genus as many 

 modem botanists do. 



Gooseberries are natives of the North Temperate zone. There are 

 about 52 species, most of which inhabit North America, being especially 

 abundant in the Pacific part of the continent. Only a few occur in Mexico. 

 The Old World is less rich in species. We can only consider here species 

 which have produced ctiltivated varieties. The oldest of these, of course, 

 is the European gooseberry, G. reclinata. 



Key to the Species 



A. Ovary with soft glandless bristles; receptacles greenish, glabrous, sepals shorter than 



the receptacle G. cynoshati 



AA. Ovary without bristles, smooth or pubescent or with stalked glands 

 B. Stamens exceeding the sepals, often twice as long 



C. Perianth greenish white, stamens twice as long as the sepals G. missouriensis 



CC. Perianth purplish or purplish green 



D. Perianth glabrous, stamens as long or longer than the sepals G. divaricata 



DD. Perianth pubescent outside, hairy inside; stamens exceeding the sepals 



G. l/an-fleettana 



BB. Stamens about as long as the sepals, mostly twice as long as the petals or shorter 



C. Leaves (on cions) usually obovate or ovate with a decidedly wedge-shaped base. 



Flowers 5-7 mm long; stamens twice as long as the petals G. hirtella 



(Flowers hairy at the throat inside, see G. downingiana.) 

 CC. Leaves not so and with a more or less truncate base 



D. Bud scales white tomentose along the margins. Peduncles very short, scarcely 



exceeding the bud scales; receptacle glabrous G. oxyacanthoides 



DD. Bud scales not white tomentose along the margins; peduncle longer 

 E. Receptacle glabrous inside and outside 



F. Sepals shorter than the receptacle G. cynosbati inermis 



FF. Sepals 2-3 times as long as the receptacle G. divaricata 



EE. Receptacle hairy inside 



F. Receptacle pubescent outside 



G. Stamens twice as long as the petals G. rustica 



(See also G. van-fleetiana.) 

 GG. Stamens as long as the petals, sepals mostly brownish red 



H. Leaves glossy G. reclinata 



HH. Leaves hoary pubescent on both sides G. reclinata uva-crispa 



FF. Receptacle smooth outside, stamens as long as the sepals . . .G. downingiana 



