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Grossulariaceae

This family contains exactly one genus, Ribes.

See list of 12 species in this genus

Ribes oxyacanthoides L. was reported from ME by Campbell et al. (1995); however, the supporting specimens (at MAINE!) were all R. hirtellum, as evidenced by stamens exceeding the petals, cuneate to truncate leaf blade bases, and absence of internodal prickles. References: Sinnott (1985), Morin (2009).

  • 1a. Inflorescence a raceme, with (3–) 4–20 or more flowers [Figs. 674,676]; pedicels articulated at the summit, the fruits falling from them; branchlets unarmed (armed in R. lacustre)
    • 2a. Ovary and fruit pubescent with bristly, gland-tipped hairs [Fig. 676]
    • 2b. Ovary and fruit glabrous or with sessile, resinous glands [Fig. 674]
      • 4a. Hypanthium above the ovary tubular, 9–15 mm long; sepals gold-yellow; mature leaf blades 20–35 (–50) mm long, each lobe with 0–3 (–7) apical teeth
      • 4b. Hypanthium above the ovary campanulate or scutelliform, up to 4.5 mm long; sepals green-purple or green-white to yellow; mature leaf blades (25–) 30–90 mm long, abundantly toothed, the teeth not restricted to the apical portion of the lobe
        • 5a. Leaf blades, winter buds, and branchlet apices resin-dotted [Fig. 674]; berries black; hypanthium above the ovary cupuliform
          • 6a. Pedicels 0.1–2 mm long, much exceeded by the conspicuous, lanceolate bracts [Fig. 674]; racemes with 6–15 flowers; calyx lobes glabrous or very sparsely pubescent on the abaxial surface; ovary without resin glands; branchles with prominent decurrent ridges extending from the nodes that are noticeably raised above the branch surface, without a fetid odor when bruised
          • 6b. Pedicels 2–8 mm long, much longer than the minute, ovate bracts; racemes with 4–10 flowers; calyx lobes pubescent on the abaxial surface; ovary with at least a few sessile resin glands; branchles with obscure decurrent ridges that are barely raised above the branch surface, with a fetid odor when bruised
        • 5b. Leaf blades, winter buds, and branchlet apices without resin glands; berries red (rarely translucent white in R. rubrum); hypanthium above the ovary scutelliform
          • 7a. Axis of raceme and pedicels stipitate-glandular; anther sacs adjacent to one another; lateral leaf lobes commonly directed forward; terminal leaf lobe deltate; calyx lobes green-purple; stems straggling to ascending
          • 7b. Axis of raceme and pedicels without glands; anther sacs widely separated by a broad connective; lateral leaf lobes spreading; terminal leaf lobe ovate; calyx lobes yellow to green; stems ascending to erect
  • 1b. Inflorescence a solitary flower or a corymb-like cluster of 2–4 (–5) flowers [Fig. 675]; pedicels not articulated at the summit, the fruits remaining on them; branchlets often armed with slender prickles and/or bristles, especially at the nodes
    • 8a. Berry covered with slender prickles at maturity, these appearing as stalked glands on the ovary during flowering [Fig. 675]; tubular portion of the hypanthium above the ovary longer than the calyx lobes in most flowers [Fig. 675]
    • 8b. Berry glabrous, glandular, or bristly, but without prickles, the ovary not stipitate-glandular during flowering (except usually in R. uva-crispa); tubular portion of the hypanthium above the ovary equaling or shorter than the calyx lobes

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 Show photos of:   Each photo represents one species in this genus.