THE GOOSEBERUY TRIBE. 19 



change to seed, they elevate themselves upon long- 

 stalks, and immerse themselves in the pulpy interior, 

 the colour of the whole changes to red or yellow, and 

 the ripe Gooseberry is completed. 



If at this time it is di^dded into two parts from its 

 apex to its base, it will be found to consist of a soft 

 watery mass enclosed in a tough skin, which is the 

 pericarp, and containing several hard seeds of a deep 

 brown-purple colour, originating from a sort of web- 

 like placenta. These seeds are secured by a green 

 thread, which passes from one end to the other of the 

 seed, on one side, forming a raphe (Jig. 6. «.), and 

 ending in a broadish expansion, or chalaza (Jig. 6. ^.). 

 Within the skin, which is thick and tough, is a large 

 quantity of hard albumen, at the base whereof lies a 

 small dicotyledonous embryo (Jig. J.). 



The common eatable Currants, and several other 

 species found in different parts of Europe and Asia, 

 are very like it ; but this is not the case throuohout 

 the whole tribe. For example, the Crimson Goose- 

 berry (Ribes speciosum), has a rich deep red calvx, 

 with long narrow segments, and stamens projecting so 

 far as to resemble those of the Fuchsia (see Botanical 

 Register, tab. 15o70* ^"^ the golden-Jiowered Currant 

 (Ribes aureum), the calyx is a bright clear yellow, 

 with a long yellow tube, and the petals and stamens 

 are short as in the common Gooseberry-. These are 

 the different forms of the Gooseberry tribe. Consi- 

 dering the manifest resemblance between a bunch of 

 Currants and a bunch of Grapes, you will not be sur- 



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