402 RIBES 



very broadly or roundish ovate ; i to 2 ins. long and broad ; the three lobes 

 rounded and toothed, the base usually straight ; downy on both sides. 

 Flowers bell-shaped, yellow, honey-scented, closely packed in erect, cylindrical 

 racemes, I to 2 ins. long, ^ in. diameter. Berries about the size of peas, 

 purple-black, hairy. 



Native of Chile. A handsome evergreen, and distinct in the shape and 

 colour of its inflorescence, and the hairiness of its various parts. Some 

 forms are less downy. Flowers in early June. It has been cultivated at 

 Kew for many years, and is quite hardy. 



R. GORDONIANUM, Lemaire. 



(R. Beatonii, Horl.') 



A hybrid between R. aureuin and R. sanguineum, raised at Shrubland 

 Park, near Ipswich, about 1837, by Donald Beaton, a famous gardener of 

 his time. It is intermediate in most respects between its parents in habit, 

 in the leaves being smaller and less hairy than those of R. sanguineum, and 

 in the colour of the flowers, which are reddish outside, yellowish within, a 

 curious blend. It is hardier than R. sanguineum, and can be grown in parts 

 of the New England States where that species is too tender to thrive. It 

 is interesting and not without beauty, but is inferior to either of its parents. 



R. GROSSULARIA, Linnaus. COMMON GOOSEBERRY. 



There is a group of species closely allied to this, composed of deciduous, 

 bushy, spiny shrubs with small green or purplish flowers which have no value 

 in gardens apart from their use as fruit-bearers. They need not be given 

 detailed notice, but may be included here. 



The common gooseberry (R. Grossularia) is found wild in Britain, but is 

 believed to be an escape from gardens. It is a genuine native of most parts 

 of mountainous Europe, and on the Mount Atlas range in N. Africa. In 

 a wild state it is distinguished by its bristly young wood, its downy calyx and 

 hairy ovary, its style downy at the base, and its yellowish or red berry, more 

 or less glandular-hairy. Some cultivated varieties have quite smooth berries. 



R. OXYACANTHOIDES, Linntzus, is widely spread over N. America. It 

 has bristly branches, the leaves are downy, and more or less glandular, 

 the stamens as long as the petals ; the ovary, calyx, and berry smooth, the 

 last red-purple. R. HIRTELLUM, Michaux, is very near this species, but has 

 smooth shoots and stamens twice as long as the petals, which are purplish. 

 Berry smooth, purplish or black, \ in. across. Bot. Mag., t. 6892 (as oxyacan- 

 thoides). It has borne very good fruit in the Isle of Wight, where it is known 

 as " currant-gooseberry." 



R. ROTUNDIFOLIUM, Michaux, is a native of the eastern United States, 

 from Massachusetts to N. Carolina. Its solitary spines are small and in- 

 conspicuous ; young wood and leaves downy, but not glandular or bristly ; 

 flowers greenish purple ; calyx, ovary, and berry smooth. The fruit is purple 

 and of good flavour. 



R. DIVARICATUM, Douglas (Bot. Reg., t. 1359). A native of the coast 

 region of Western N. America, of vigorous growth, and up to 10 ft. high. 

 Its young wood is armed with single or triple spines up to -f in. long, and 

 is sometimes bristly, usually smooth. Leaves with appressed hairs above, 

 almost or quite smooth beneath. Calyx downy, greenish purple, petals 

 whitish, ovary and berry smooth, the last globose, in. diameter, black- 

 purple. This species is nearly allied to R. rotundifolium, but is found wild on 



