138 THE SHRUBS OF NORTH CAROLINA. 



red and acid berry, which makes an agreeable con- 

 serve, and a cooling drink in fevers. The leaves are 

 also slightly acid. It is probable that this, like the 

 European species, which it closely resembles, would 

 furnish a yellow color by boiling the roots in lye ; 

 and that the inner bark of the stems would dye linen 

 of a fine yellow with the assistance of alum. 



GOOSEBERRIES AND CURRANTS.— These 



belong to one genus, but are distinguished — the 

 former, by the small sharp thorns at the base of the 

 leaves, sometimes the fruit being prickly, and gener- 

 ally (always in the North Carolina species) by the 

 flower stems having from 1 to 3 flowers ; the latter, 

 by the absence of thorns, smaller fruit (never prickly), 

 and the flowers numerous in long clusters. They 

 are found only in the mountains. 



1. Prickly Gooseberry. (Ribes Cynosbati, 

 Linn.) — Distinguished from the others by its prickly 

 fruit, which is brownish when ripe, and eatable. 



2. Smooth Gooseberry. (R. rotundifolium, 

 Michx.) — This is 3 to 4 feet high, the leaves 1 to 2 

 inches broad, about half the size of the preceding, the 

 fruit small, purple when ripe, and of fine flavor. 



3. Slender Gooseberry. (R gracile, Michx.) — 

 Very similar to No. 2, but every way more slender 

 and delicate, and quite rare. 



4. Fetid Currant. (R. prostratum, L'Her.) — 

 Occurring chiefly upon rocks on our highest moun- 

 tains and generally spreading on the ground. The 



