BOTANY OF THE GOOSEBERRIES 461 



smooth but often densely covered with fine, straight, setose prick- 

 les; thorns generally 3, commonly long, slender, and somewhat 

 ascending; bark for the most part gray or whitish, at least on 

 younger branches; leaves deeply cordate, 3-5-lobed, coarsely 

 and somewhat obtusely serrate, slightly pubescent, both above and 

 beneath, commonly beset, especially on the under surface, with 

 numerous minute resinous dots, which tend to disappear with 

 age, %-l% inches (2-4 cm.) broad; petioles pubescent, some- 

 what glandular and slightly ciliate, equaling or exceeding the 

 leaves in length; peduncles 2- or 3-flowered, pubescent, pedicels 

 short, subtended by short, rounded green bracts, which are com- 

 monly ciliate, with glandular-tipped hairs; flowers greenish white, 

 narrowly campanulate, %-% inch (8-12 mm.) long, exclusive of 

 the ovary; calyx lobes as long as the tube; petals obovate, white, 

 half as long as the calyx lobes, stamens equaling or slightly 

 exceeding the petals; fruit smooth, spherical, juicy, with a pleas- 

 ant flavor. 



From the northwest coast of the United States ; eastward to the 

 Rocky Mountains. Common in Washington. 



Douglas says of this species, in connection with the original 

 description:* "Of all the species which came under my observa- 

 tion during my journeys in America, this is the finest in the flavour 

 of its berries, as well as in their size." Judging from this state- 

 ment, and the apparent vigor of the plant, it is a species which 

 might well receive attention from the horticulturist. 



22. R. SETOSUM, Lindl. (Fig. 91.) 



Branches commonly covered with slender prickles, which later 

 scale away with the bark ; thorns often several in a whorl ; leaves 

 cordate, 5-7-lobed, the lobes incised, together with the petioles 

 minutely pubescent; calyx tube cylindrical, about % f an i nen 

 (3 mm.) long, exclusive of ovary and lobes; petals as long as the 

 stamens; style commonly 2-cleft, villous; berry dark purple, sour, 

 sometimes hispid. 



Northwestern Nebraska, west and northward to Ontario. 



This appears to be the gradation species between R. oxyacan- 

 thoides and E. irriguum. Though the typical form is very distinct, 

 it is so gradually approached by JR. oxyacanthoides on the Plains 

 that it is at times difficult to separate them. 



23. R. OXYACANTHOIDES, Linn. (Fig. 92.) Common Gooseberry. 

 Low shrub, 2-4 feet (6-12 decimeters) high, branches slender, 



* Trans. London, Hort. Soc. 7:516. 



