GROSSULARIACEAE

GOOSEBERRY FAMILY

Michael R. Mesler and John O. Sawyer, Jr.

Shrub generally < 2 m
Stem generally erect; nodal spines 0–9; internodal bristles generally 0; twigs generally hairy, generally glandular
Leaves simple, alternate, generally clustered on short, lateral branchlets, petioled, generally deciduous; blade generally palmately 3–5-lobed, generally thin, generally dentate or serrate, base generally cordate
Inflorescence: raceme, axillary, generally pendent, 1–25-flowered; pedicel generally not jointed to ovary, generally hairy or glandular; bract generally green
Flower bisexual, radial; hypanthium tube exceeding ovary; sepals generally 5, generally spreading; petals generally 5, generally < sepals, generally flat; stamens generally 5, alternate petals, generally inserted at level of petals (hypanthium top), anthers generally free, generally glabrous, tips generally rounded; ovary inferior, chamber 1, ovules many, styles generally 2, generally fused except at tip, generally glabrous
Fruit: berry
Genera in family: 1 genus, 120 species: n hemisphere, temp South America. Some cultivated as food, ornamental. Hypanthium data refer to part above ovary; statements about ovary hairs actually refer to the hypanthium around the ovary. Formerly included in Saxifragaceae.

RIBES

CURRANT, GOOSEBERRY

Etymology: (Arabic: for plants of this genus)

Native

R. canthariforme Wiggins

MORENO CURRANT

Stem: nodal spines 0
Leaf: blade 40–60 mm, thick, crenate, upper surface green, hairs long, soft, wavy, lower surface gray-green, hairs dense
Inflorescence many-flowered, dense, spike- or head-like
Flower: hypanthium 1 mm, wider than long; sepals 2 mm, spoon-shaped, purple with darker veins; petals 1 mm, purple; styles free to sparsely hairy base
Fruit 5–6 mm, purple; hairs long, soft, wavy or glandular, 0 in age
Ecology: Chaparral
Elevation: 500–1200 m.
Bioregional distribution: sw Peninsular Ranges (near Moreno Dam, sw San Diego Co.)
Horticultural information: In cultivation.