GRASSULAOIUCE^E. 45 



of the young fruit, which is broad at the base and somewhat 

 suddenly contracted a little way beneath the calyx-segments. 

 The mature fruit neither he nor I have had an opportunity of 

 examining. 



Mr. J. G. Baker writes that Mr. James Backhouse, who used 

 to botanize with Mr. Robson, tells him that he doubts if there was 

 more than a single bush known of R. spicatum, so that it is probably 

 an accidental sport rather than a true variety. The plant supposed 

 to be R. spicatum from between Piers Bridge and Gainford, 

 Durham, Mr. Backhouse believes to have been R. petrreum (Sm.) ; 

 he considers the latter truly wild in England, but the R. rubrum 

 as an arctic Scandinavian race, not indigenous in Britain. 



R. petmeurn (Wulfen), which is a native of the Alps and Pyre- 

 nees, has the calyx-limb much more concave and the segments of 

 the leaves more acute, and is quite distinct from the plant supposed 

 to be R. petraeum by Smith. 



Wild Bed Currant. 



SPECIES IV.— RIB ES NIGRUM, linn. 

 Plate DXXIII. 



Branches unarmed. Leaves scented, angular, 5-lobed, sub- 

 glabrous but with resinous glands beneath ; segments deltoid or 

 ovate-deltoid, rather blunt, irregularly crenate-serrate. Plowers per- 

 fect, racemose. Racemes sessile, many- flowered, drooping, with the 

 rachis and pedicels pubescent but not glandular. Bracts oblong- 

 lanceolate, shorter than the pedicels. Calyx slightly downy and 

 sprinkled with resinous glands ; limb enlarged, bell-shaped. Berries 

 purplish-black. 



In woods, thickets, and by the sides of streams. Not uncom- 

 mon in England and the South of Scotland, but probably most 

 frequently produced from seeds of the garden black currant. 

 England, [Scotland, Ireland.] Shrub. Spring. 



A bush resembling the red currant, but usually larger and 

 stouter, with the leaves larger, and with their lobes more acute. 

 It may be easily recognized by the resinous glands with which the 

 under side of the leaf is sprinkled, and from which the leaf takes 

 its peculiar smell. The flowers are larger, § inch across, tinged with 

 dull purple, and have the calyx limb bell- instead of saucer-shaped. 

 The lowest pedicel springs from the base of the rachis of the raceme 

 instead of some way above it. The fruit is larger, black, and witli 

 an astringent but less acid flavour. 



Black Currant. 



French, Groseille Cassis. German, Sdacarze Johannisbeere. 



