138 THE SHRUBS OF NOETH CAROLINA. 



red and acid berry, which makes an agreeable con- 

 serve, and a cooling drink in fevers. The leaves are 

 also slightly acid. It is probable that this, like the 

 European species, which it closely resembles, would 

 furnish a yellow color by boiling the roots in lye ; 

 and that the inner bark of the stems would dye linen 

 of a fine yellow with the assistance of alum. 



GOOSEBERRIES AND CURRANTS.— These 



belong to one genus, but are distinguished — the 

 former, by the small sharp thorns at the base of the 

 leaves, sometimes the fruit being prickly, and gener- 

 ally (al\va3'S in the North Carolina species) by the 

 flower stems having from 1 to 3 flowers ; the latter, 

 by the absence of thorns, smaller fruit (never prickly), 

 and the flowers numerous in long clusters. They 

 are found only in the mountains. 

 -^ 1. Prickly Gooseberry. (Ribes Cynosbati, 

 Linn.) — Distinguished from the others by its prickly 

 fruit, which is brownish when ripe, and eatable. 



2. Smooth Gooseberry. (R. rotundifolium, 

 Michx.) — This is 3 .to 4 feet high, the leaves 1 to 2 

 inches broad, about half the size of the preceding, the 

 fruit small, purple when ripe, and of fine flavor. 

 ^- 3. Slender Gooseberry. (R. gracile, Michx.) — 

 Very similar to No. 2, but every way more slender 

 and delicate, and quite rare. 



4. Fetid Currant. (R. prostratum, L'Her.) — - 

 Occurring chiefly upon rocks on our highest moun- 

 tains and generally spreading on the ground. The 



