Ribes nigrum

Plants 1–2 m. Stems erect, glandular and puberulent or nearly glabrous; spines at nodes absent; prickles on internodes absent. Leaves: petiole 1–4 cm, pubescent, sometimes with longer setose hairs basally; blade reniform, 3–5-lobed, cleft nearly to midrib, 5–10 cm, base cordate, surfaces with shiny, resinous glands, lobes broadly ovate, margins irregularly serrate, apex acute. Inflorescences pendent, 4–10-flowered racemes, 3–5 cm, axis pubescent, flowers evenly spaced. Pedicels jointed, 2–10 mm, glabrous or finely pubescent to lanate; bracts ovate, 0.5–2 mm, pubescent. Flowers: hypanthium green, cup-shaped or short-campanulate, 3–4 mm, densely pubescent or tomentose; sepals not overlapping, reflexed, greenish or pinkish abaxially, suffused with purple adaxially, oblong, 5–7 mm; petals nearly connivent, erect, white to reddish, bluntly deltate, not conspicuously revolute or inrolled, 1.5–3 mm; nectary disc prominent, green or purplish, circular, covering ovary; stamens slightly longer than petals; filaments linear, 2–2.5 mm, glabrous with some glands; anthers white, sagittate, 1 mm, apex blunt; ovary pubescent, sessile-glandular; styles connate nearly to stigmas, 3 mm, very finely hairy. Berries sweet-tasting, black, globose, 12–15 mm, glabrous with some sessile glands.

Phenology: Flowering May–Jun.
Habitat: Wet meadows, disturbed streamsides, anthropogenic habitats
Elevation: 100-300 m

Introduced; N.B., Nfld. and Labr. (Nfld.), N.S., Ont., P.E.I., Que., Conn., Ill., Maine, Md., Mass., Mich., Minn., N.H., N.J., N.Y., Ohio, Vt., Wis., Eurasia.

Discussion

Ribes nigrum is the source of the cultivated black currant. It has a strong, unpleasant odor.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa