164 THE RIBES FAMILY. [Ribes. 



European form is R. Uva-crispa, Linn. , with small smooth fruit, which 

 extends to Morocco and the Himalaya.] 



2. R. rubrum, Linn. (fig. 373). Red and White C. — An erect, 

 branching shrub, 3 or 4 feet high, without prickles. Leaves on rather 

 long stalks, much larger and thinner than those of the Gooseberry, with 

 3 or 5 rather short and broad- toothed lobes, glabrous, or more frequently 

 sprinkled with a few minute hairs on the upper surface, and more or less 

 downy underneath. Flowers small, greenish-white, several together in 

 axillary racemes at the base of the year's shoots. These racemes are 

 either erect or pendulous when in flower, but almost always pendulous 

 when in fruit ; the pedicels all short, and do not commence at the very 

 base of the raceme, as in R. nigrum, each pedicel being in the axil of 

 a small bract. Calyx-segments broadly spreading, obovate, or rounded, 

 twice the length of the small petals. Berries red when wild, varying in 

 cultivation from red to white. 



In rocky woods, in northern and central Europe and Russian Asia, ex- 

 tending to the Arctic Circle, but replaced in southern Europe and central 

 Asia by the R. petrceum. Frequent in Scotland, the north of England, 

 and occurs also in some parts of southern England and Ireland, but it 

 has been so long and so generally cultivated, that it is difficult to say 

 how far it is really indigenous. FL spring. A variety with more upright 

 racemes has been falsely referred to the Continental R. petrceum, and 

 another with the flowers almost sessile has been distinguished as R. 

 spicatum, Robs. 



3. It. alpinum, Linn. (fig. 374). Mountain O. — Very near R. rubrum, 

 but the leaves are smaller, more deeply divided, smooth and shining, 

 and glabrous underneath ; the flowers much smaller and always dioecious; 

 the males rather numerous, in little, erect racemes, of 1 to 1 J inches ; 

 the pedicels slender, but not quite so long as the bracts ; the females, 

 on separate shrubs, much fewer together, in very short racemes, and 

 often almost sessile ; the berries small and tasteless. 



In rocky, hilly districts, in central and southern Europe and Russian 

 Asia ; not an alpine plant, notwithstanding its name, but said to extend 

 to rather high northern latitudes ; it may not, however, always have been 

 properly distinguished from R. rubrum. Rather scarce in Britain, pro- 

 bably indigenous in the north of England, but not so in Scotland ; it 

 does not extend into the Highlands, nor into Ireland. Fl. spring. 



4. R. nigrum, Linn. (fig. 375). Black C— Easily known from the 

 peculiar smell of the leaves when rubbed, arising from the small glan- 

 dular dots, copiously sprinkled on the under side. Stem unarmed. 

 Leaves rather larger than in R. rubrum, more cordate, and usually 

 with only 3 broad, crenate lobes, coarse and rough, but scarcely hairy. 

 Racemes pendulous, looser than in the R. rubrum y the flowers larger, 

 campanulate, on longer pedicels, of which the lowest, arising from the 

 very base of the raceme, are much longer than the others. Calyx 

 rather hoary outside. Berries black. 



In woods, in northern, central, and eastern Europe, and Russian and 

 central Asia, but less common in western Europe than the last two 

 species. In Britain, although found in cool, shady places, and boggy 

 thickets, in various parts of England and Scotland, yet it is very doubt- 

 ful whether it be truly indigenous, as its cultivation dates from a very 

 early period. If anywhere wild, it is in the Lake district and Yorkshire. 

 Fl. spring. 



