RIBES. LX. GROSSULACE^E. 273 



ORDER LX. GROSSULACE^E. CURRANTS. 



i*hrj?js ether unarmed or spiny. Lvs. alternate, lobed, plaited in vernation. 



Fls 'n a? 'llary racemes, with bracts at their base. 



Ce-l Svcerior, 4 5-cleft, regular, colored, marescent. imbricate in aestivation. 



('t . Prtals inserted in the throat of the calyx, small, distinct, as many as sepal*. 



Sf as r-oany as petals and alternate with them, very short; anthers introrse. 



CHjjr. l-celled, with 2 parietal placenta ; ovules numerous ; styles 2. 



Fr. a l-celled berry (the cell rilled with pulp) crowned with the remains of the flower. 



Sds. anjitropous, the embryo minute, radicle next the micropyle. 



Genera 1, species 95. The gooseberries and currants are natives of the N. temperate zone of both con- 

 tinents, but unknown in the tropics or S. hemisphere, except S. America. 



Proper ties. The berries contain a sweet, mucilaginous pulp, together with^palic or citric acid. Thef 

 are alwa/s wholesome and usually esculent 



RIBES. 

 Character the same as that of the Order. 



* Stems unarmed. CURRANTS. 



1. R. PLORIDUM. L'Her. Wild Black Currant. 



fas. subcordate, 3 5-lobed, sprinkled on both sides with yellowish, resin- 

 ous rk cs ; rac. many-flowered, pendulous, pubescent; cal. cylindrical; bracts 

 Imear longer than the pedicels fr. obovoid, smooth, black. A handsome 

 shrub n woods and badges, Can. to Ky. common, 3 4f high. Leaves 1 2' 

 on<r, ine width something more, lobes acute, spreading, 3, sometimes with 2 

 *mall additional ones; dots just visible to the naked eye. Petioles 1 2' long. 

 Howrrs rather bell-shaped, greenish yellow. Fruit insipid. May, Jn. 



-' R. PROSTRATUM. L'Her. (R. rigens. Michx.} Mountain Currant. 



Jt. reclined ; Ivs. smooth, deeply cordate, 5 7-lobed, doubly serrate, retic- 

 ulaf iUgose ; rac. erect, lax, many-flowered ; cal. rotate ; berries globose, glan- 

 dula -hispid, red. A small shrub/on mountains and rocky hills, Penn. to Can., 

 ill-scented, and with ill-flavored berries sometimes called Skunk Currant. 

 Prostrate stems, with erect, straight branches. Leaves about as large as in 

 No. 1, lobes acute. Petioles elongated. Racemes about 8-flowered, becoming 

 erect in fruit. Bracts very short. Flowers marked with purple. Berries 

 rather large. May. 



3. R. RUBRUM. Common Red Currant. 



Lrs. obtusely 3 5-lobed, smooth above, pubescent beneath, subcordate at 

 base, margin mucronately serrate ; rac. nearly smooth, pendulous ; cal. short, 

 rotate; bracts much shorter than the pedicels; fr. globose, glabrous, red. 

 Woods, St. Johnsbury, Vt. Mr. Carey, Wisconsin, Lapham! N. to the Arctic 

 ocean. Cultivated universally in gardens. 



B. ( White Currant.} Fr. light amber-colored, larger and sweeter. 

 4. R. NIGRUM. Black Currant. Lvs. 3 5-lobed, punctate beneath, dentate- 

 serrate, longer than their petioles ; rac. lax, hairy, somewhat nodding ; cal. 

 cnmpanulate ; bracts nearly equaling the pedicels ; fr. roundish-ovoid, nearly 

 black. Native of Europe, &c. Cultivated and esteemed for its medicinal^V% 

 Flowers yellowish. This species much resembles R. floridum. 



5. R. AUREUM. Ph. Missouri, or Golden Currant. 



Plant smooth; Ivs. 3-lobed, lobes divaricate, entire or with a Tew large 

 teeth ; pef-lflles longer than the leaves ; bracts linear, as long as the pedicels*; 

 rac. lax, many-flowered ; cal. tubular, longer than the pedicels, segments ob- 

 long, obtuse ; "pet. linear ; fr. smooth, oblong or globose, yellow, finally brown. 

 Alo. W. to Oregon. A beautiful shrub, 6 1 Of high, common in cultivation. 

 Flowers numerous, yellow, very fragrant. Apr. May. 



** Spinescent or prickly. GOOSEBERRIES. 



6. R. CYNOSBATI. Prickly Gooseberry. 



Si. prickly or not"; subaxillary spines about in pairs ; Ivs. cordate, 3 5- 

 lobed, softly pubescent, lobes incisely dentate ; rac. nodding- 2 3-flowered ; ca- 

 lyx lube ovate-cylindric, longer than the segments; pet. obovate. shorter than 

 ihfc calyx segments ; berries prickly. A handsome shrub, Northern and West- 

 ern States, about 4f high, in hedges and thickets, mostly without prickles, but 

 armed with 1 3 sharp spines just below the axil of each leaf. Leaves 



