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PLANTS OF YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK 
and the species that are most frequently found in the park may be 
distinguished in the following manner: 
1. Stem leaves opposite_ Saxifraga oppositifolia 
1. Stem leaves alternate or none. 2. 
2. Petals lacking or very minute_ Saxifraga subapetala 
2. Petals evident. 3. 
3 Stems more or less leafy. 4. 
3. Leaves all basal. 5. 
4. Leaves all entire— - Saxifraga austromontana 
4. Lower leaves 3- to 5-cleft___ Saxifraga caespitosa 
5. Leaves kidney-shaped or heart-shaped_ Saxifraga arguta 
5. Leaves ovate to oblong. 6. 
6. Stems hairy with purple-tipped hairs_ Saxifraga saximontana 
6. Stems smooth or hairs not purple-tipped_ Saxifraga rhomboidea 
In addition to the above species Saxifraga montanmsis , S. rivu- 
laris , S. rydbergii , and S. debit is have also been reported in the park. 
GOOSEBERRY FAMILY (GROSSULARIACEAE) 
This family contains the well-known gooseberries and currants. 
They are shrubs with alternate, palmately-lobed leaves, and flowers 
borne on short axillary shoots. The parts of the flower are attached 
above the ovary, which develops into the berry. The Gooseberry 
( Grossularia) can be distinguished by the stems, which are armed 
with spines and prickles and the pedicel, which is not jointed below 
the berry. The Currant ( Ribes ) is usually not armed with spines or 
prickles and the pedicel is jointed beneath the fruit. 
Redshoot gooseberry ( Grossularia setosa) has stout, usually triple 
spines below each leaf, the 1-year-old shoots have red-brown bark, 
the berries are smooth and dark purple, and the leaves have short, 
dense pubescence. 
Whitestem gooseberry ( Grossularia inermis ) has usually single and 
short spines below each leaf, the spines often wanting, the bark of 
1-year-old stems is white, the berries are smooth and wine-colored, 
and the leaves are usually smooth. 
Sticky currant ( Ribes viscosissimum) has black, seedy berries with 
short, gland-tipped hairs, the leaves are velvety pubescent and 
glandular, and the flowers are green or greenish white. 
Prickly currant ( Ribes lacustre)— -This and the following species 
differ from the other American currants in having prickly stems. 
In both these species the berries bear weak gland-tipped bristles. 
The leaves of the prickly currant are smooth or nearly so, and the 
berries are black. 
Gooseberry currant ( Ribes montigenum) .-—This species is readily 
distinguished from the prickly currant by its glandular-pubescent 
leaves and its bright red berries. 
