Ribes L.

Currant

Arabic ribas, meaning acid-tasting, in reference to the acrid fruits of some species

Mostly deciduous shrubs. Shoots sometimes with bristles or thorns. Leaves alternate, simple, generally palmately lobed and toothed; stipules absent. Flowers mostly bisexual, occasionally with sexes on separate plants, solitary or in clusters. Parts mostly in 5s, rarely 4s. Sepals generally petal-like and longer than the petals, which are attached to the throat of the calyx tube and often scale-like. Ovary inferior, with 1 chamber; styles 2. Fruit a berry, with the remains of calyx persistent.

Commercial production of currants and gooseberries is confined to Tas and S Vic and is on a small scale for specialist markets.

About 150 species, mostly cool-temperate northern hemisphere.

Mostly by hardwood or semi-hardwood cuttings.

Source of the edible currants and gooseberries.

Leaves palmately lobed; ovary with 1 chamber; fruit a berry.

Source: Spencer, R. (2002). Grossulariaceae. In: Spencer, R.. Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 3. Flowering plants. Dicotyledons. Part 2. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.

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kingdom Plantae
phylum   Tracheophyta
class    Magnoliopsida
superorder     [Saxifraganae]
order      Saxifragales
family       Grossulariaceae
Higher taxa
Subordinate taxa
species         Ribes alpinum L.
species         Ribes nigrum L.
species         Ribes odoratum H.L.Wendl.
species         Ribes rubrum L.
species         Ribes sanguineum Pursh
species         Ribes uva-crispa L.