112 KEY AND FLORA 
VII. RIBES L. 
Shrubs. Leaves palmately veined and lobed, sometimes with 
stipules. Calyx tube ese staped, its 5 epigynous lobes usually 
colored like the petals. Petals 5, small, generally inserted on 
the throat of the calyx tube. Stamens 5, inserted with the 
petals. Styles 2; ovary 1-celled, with 2 placente on its walls, 
becoming in fruit a pulpy (usually eatable) berry. 
1. R. Cynosbati L. Prickty Witp Gooseberry. Spines in 
pairs. Leaves long-petioled, downy, heart-shaped, cut-dentate. The 
single style and the stamens not projecting from the calyx tube. 
Berries generally prickly, brownish-purple, pleasant-flavored. 
2. R. gracile Michx. SLENDER GoosEeBERRY. Spines slender, 
solitary, or in pairs or threes. Leaves with slender petioles, some- 
what downy when young, round, the base truncate or obtuse, 5-5- 
lobed, the divisions obtuse and toothed. Flowers often in threes, 
white or greenish, drooping. Calyx lobes longer than the tube; 
stamens decidedly projecting from the tube. Berries smooth, red- 
dish-purple. Dry or roeky soil W. 
3. R. rotundifolium Michx. SmootH WiLp GoosEBERRY. Spines 
few and short, prickles few or absent. Leaves roundish, lobed, with 
the lobes crenate-dentate, often downy. Peduncles slender ; flowers 
inconspicuous. Calyx lobes reflexed. Styles and stameus projecting 
decidedly from the calyx tube. Berries smooth. 
4. R. oxyacanthoides L. Nortuern GooseBerry. Spines usually 
solitary, often numerous. Leaves petioled, their lower surfaces and 
petioles commonly downy. Flowers 1-3 together, on short pedicels, 
greenish-purple or white. Berry 1-1! in. in diameter, smooth, reddish- 
purple. Low grounds and damp w oods N. 
5. R. americanum Mill. Witp Buack Currant. Branches thorn- 
less, erect. Leaves resinous-dotted, somewhat heart-shaped, 38—5-lobed, 
toothed. Flowers large, whitish. Calyx tubular-bell-shaped, smooth. 
Fruit round-ovoid, black, smooth. In woods. 
6. R. vulgare Lain. Rev Currant. Stems more or less reclining. 
Leaves somewhat heart-shaped, obtusely 3—5-lobed. Racemes droop- 
ing. Limb of the calyx wheel-shaped. Berries acid, eatable, red 
or light amber-colored. Cultivated from Europe; also somewhat 
naturalized. 
7. R. odoratum Wendland. Gotpen Currant, Frowerine C., 
Missourr ©., Clove Currant. A much taller shrub than the com- 
mon red currant. Leaves 3-lobed, toothed. Racemes short and loose. 
Tube of the yellow ealyx much longer than its limb. Flowers very 
fragrant. Fruit brownish-black, barely eatable. 
