GROSSULARIACEiE 321 



for its fruit. The wedge-shaped leaves are three-lobed, 

 smooth, and resinous when young. The short inflorescence 

 is very leafy. The most characteristic feature of the plant is 

 its flowers (Fig. 129, B) which have a long, tubular, yellow 

 toral tube, and small reddish petals. The fruit is dark 

 brown or black. The species is native to the Mississippi 

 Valley, and westward to the Rocky Mountains. Important 

 varieties are Crandall, Deseret and Jelly. 



Uses. — Currants are made use of for jelly, pies, sauce, and 

 wine. 



GOOSEBERRIES 



Species. — The cultivated gooseberries belong to two 

 species: Ribes grossularia, of Europe, and Ribes oxyacan- 

 thoides {R. hirtellum), of America. European gooseberries, 

 as compared with American sorts, are less productive, less 

 hardy, not so easily propagated by cuttings, have a thicker 

 skin, a poorer quality of fruit and are less resistant to the 

 common gooseberry mildew {Sphcerotheca mors-uvcB). 



Ribes grossularia. — This is a robust plant, bearing large 

 thorns, usually in threes. The leaves are shining and 

 pubescent. The flowers have a pubescent toral tube and 

 fruit. The large berry is rough, hairy or prickly, red, green- 

 ish, or yellowish in color. The species is a native of 

 Europe, northern Africa and western Asia. 



Ribes oxyacanthoides. — The American gooseberry is not 

 as robust as the preceding. The thorns, sometimes in 

 threes, sometimes single, are much more slender, and in 

 some varieties may be entirely wanting. The leaves are 

 shining and finely hairy. The greenish or purplish flowers 

 have a smooth or hairy toral tube and a smooth fruit. The 

 small berry is perfectly smooth, and reddish in color. Ribes 

 oxyacanthoides grows from Newfoundland to New Jersey 



