OROSSULACEjE. (CURRANT FAMILY.) 145 



3. O. polyantha, Haw. Stem croot ; joints oblong ; spines yellow, strong, 

 unequal ; flowers numerous around the summit of the joints ; stigmas 6. — 

 Key West, and waste places around Apalachicola, Florida. June. 



4. O. Pes-Corvi, Leeonte. Stems prostrate, diffuse; joints small (l'-3'), 

 cylindrical or somewhat flattened, easily separable, spiny ; spines by pairs, un- 

 equal, elongated; sepals and petals 8-12, cuneate; stigmas 4; fruit small, 

 fleshy, bristly, 1 - 2-seeded. — Barren sandy places along the coast, Florida and 

 Georgia. May. — Stems 1° - 2° long. 



Order 57. GROSSULACEJE. (Currant Family.) 



Spiny or unarmed shrubs, with alternate palmately veined and lobed 

 leaves, without stipules, and with axillary racemose or clustered flowers. — 

 Calyx-tube adherent to the ovary, the limb 5-lobed. Petals 5, small. Sta- 

 mens 5. Ovary 1-celled, with 2 parietal placentae. Styles more or less 

 united. Fruit a 1-celled, many-seeded berry. Seeds anatropous, with the 

 minute embryo at the base of hard albumen. 



1. RIBES, L. Currant. Gooseberry. 



Character same as the order. 



* Stems spiny and commonly bristly : peduncles 1 - 3-Jlowered. 



1. R. Cynosbati, L. Leaves on slender petioles, slightly cordate, round- 

 ish, 3 -5-lobed, pubescent; peduncles 2-3-flowered; stamens and single style 

 not longer than the broad and short calyx-tube ; petals obovate ; berry mostly 

 prickly. — Mountains of North Carolina, and northward. July. — Stem smooth 

 or bristly. Leaves l'-2' in diameter. 



2. R. rotundifolium, Michx. Leaves small, smoothish, roundish, 3-5- 

 lol>ed, often acute at the base, on slender petioles ; peduncles 1 - 2-flowered ; 

 stamens and 2-parted style longer than the narrow-cylindrical calyx-tube; petals 

 spatulate ; berry small, smooth. — Mountains of North Carolina, and northward. 

 — Shrub 3°- 4° high, often unarmed. Leaves |' - 1' in diameter. 



3. R. graeile, Michx. Axillary spine very short ; leaves on slender peti- 

 oles, pubescent on both sides, the lobes acute, incised, and acutely toothed ; 

 peduncles long, capillary, erect, 1- 2-flowered; calyx smooth, tubular-campanu- 

 late. — Mountains of Tennessee. 



* * Stems without spines or bristles : racemes viany-fiowered. 



4. R. prostratum, L'Herit. Leaves long-petioled, deeply cordate, with 

 about 5 spreading incised and serrate lobes, smooth; racemes erect; style 2- 

 cleft ; berry glandular-bristly. — Mountains of North Carolina, and northward. 

 May and June. — Stems reclining. Racemes 3'- 5' long. Leaves 2' -3' in 

 diameter. 



5. R. resinosum, Pursh. Plant clothed in every part with resinous glan- 

 dular hairs ; leaves roundish, 3 - 5-lobed ; racemes erect ; bracts linear, longer 



13 



