Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center


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Aquatic and Wetland Vascular Plants of the Northern Great Plains

24. Grossulariaceae, the Gooseberry Family

1. Ribes L. -- Currant, gooseberry

2. Ribes missouriense Nutt. -- Missouri gooseberry

Shrub 1-1.5 m tall, the branches arching, armed with 1-4 stout spines at each node, these 5-15 mm long, rarely with some internodal prickles as well; new growth closely pubescent; twigs gray to yellowish-gray, exfoliating with age. Leaves 3-lobed and usually with 2 small basal lobes, 1-5 cm long, 1.5-6 cm wide, short-pubescent to nearly glabrous above, hirsute beneath, crenate-serrate, obtuse to subcordate at the base; petioles shorter than to about equaling the blade, densely pubescent and often with a few glandular hairs. Inflorescences of short clusters containing 2-5 flowers, on lateral branches 1-3 cm long; bracts ovate, ciliate, shorter than the pedicels; pedicels 3-10 mm long. Flowers greenish to white; sepals erect to eventually reflexed, 4-6 mm long, linear-oblong; petals erect, white to cream-colored, 2-3.5 mm long; stamens strongly exserted at anthesis, ca. 2X the length of the sepals; styles fused from about 1/2 to their entire length; hypanthium short-cylindric, 1-3 mm long. Fruit brown or purple at maturity, 6-11 mm in diameter. Flowering May--Jun, fruiting late Jun--Aug. Stream banks, floodplains and moist to dry woods; common in the e and c parts, scattered w; (CT to MT, s to TN and KS).

Ribes lacustre (Pers.) Poir. occurs in wet places in the Black Hills. It is similar to R. missouriense in its spiny habit but differs as follows: flowers in racemes rather than short clusters; hypanthium saucer-shaped and spreading; ovary and fruit beset with glandular bristles and hairs.

Previous Species -- Ribes americanum Mill. -- Wild black currant
Return to Family -- Primulaceae - The Primrose Family
Next Species -- Ribes triste Pall. -- Swamp currant

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