34 KEY TO THE SPECIES 



XXVIII. GROSSULARIACEiE (Gooseberry 

 Family) 



Like Saxifragaceoe, but shrubs with alternate palmately 

 veined and lobed leaves, 5 stamens, an inferior 1-celled ovary 

 and fruit a berry. 



1. RIBES (Currant. Gooseberry) 



Low sometimes prickly shrubs with lateral clusters o£ small flowers, a 5-lobed 

 often colored calyx, 5 small petals in the throat of the calyx, and 2 separate or 

 more or less united styles. 



* Branches prickly or bristly ; gooseberries. 



1. Bibes irrlguum Dougl. (Creek-bank Gooseberry). Stems branched, 

 1-2 m. high, generally prickly, subaxillary spines usually .3 ; leaves roundish, 

 5-lobed, mostly cordate at base, nearly glabrous ; peduncles 3-4-flowered ; calyx 

 cylindrical, the lobes reflexed ; the petals fan-shaped ; fruit dark purple, very 

 acid. Common on stream banks. Very fruitful. 



2. Bibes parvulum (Gray) Rydb. (Curkant Gooseberry). Stems hispid, 

 procumbent, mostly less than 1 m. high ; leaves sub-orbicular, 3-5-parted or lobed, 

 cordate at base, nearly glabrous, 2-4 cm. long ; flowers in 5-12-flowered racemes ; 

 berry small and currant-like, nearly black when ripe, covered with short weak 

 gland-tipped bristles. Frequent on the shaded banks of mountain brooks. 



* * Branches without prickles or bristles ; currants. 



-fr- Leaves convolute in bud ; flowers yellow ; calyx long. 



3. Bibes loiigiflora Nutt. (Golden, Buffalo, or Missouri Currant). 

 Smooth bush with rounded 3-lobed aud cut-toothed leaves ; short racemes of 

 spiey-scented bright-yellow flowers ; tube of yellow calyx much longer than the 

 spreading lobes ; berries blackish. Commonly cultivated but also indigenous ; 

 abundant. 



■<- -I- Leaves plicate in bud ; flowers white, pink, or rose-color ; c^lyx-tube 

 short. 



4. Bibes cereum Dougl. (Squaw Currant). Sparingly glandular-pubea- 

 cent ; the leaves 3-5-lobed, the lobes crenate ; flowers nearly sessile ; the calyx 

 white or pink, dilated above the ovary ; petals minute ; berry red, rather insipid. 

 A common shrub in canons and on dry stony hillsides. 



5. Bibes floridtim L'Her. (Wild Black Currant). Leaves orbicular, 

 sharply 3-5-lobed, glabrous above, pubescent and sprinkled with resinous dots 

 below ; flowers white or pinkish ; bracts longer than the pedicels ; the calyx-lobes 

 short and obtuse ; berry large. 



6. Bibes variegatum (Wats.) Aven Nelson (Dry-fruited Currant). 

 Moderately branching, 5-10 dm. high, smooth stemmed, lightly glandular-pubes- 

 cent ; leaves deeply 5-cleft, lobes obtuse ; calyx red, the lobes not reflexed ; young 

 fruit glandular-hairy, becoming maroon or black, rather tough, and devoid of 

 juice. ' Frequent on wooded mountain-stream banks. 



