Family Grossulariaceae | Genus Ribes Rank Species | |
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Ribes canthariforme is a rare North American species of currant known by the common name Moreno currant.
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Distribution
The plant is native to southern California, having been found in San Diego County, California (Laguna Mountains and surrounding slopes) and in western Riverside County (Elsinore and San Jacinto Mountains). It is a member of the local chaparral plant community.
The most recent estimates indicate that there are about 70 individual plants remaining. Most of these occur on land within Cleveland National Forest, and since there are few serious threats the species is not otherwise specifically protected.
Description
Ribes canthariforme is a mostly erect shrub growing 1 to 2.5 meters tall. The stems are fuzzy and glandular and lack spines and prickles.
The thick, densely hairy leaves are 4 to 6 centimeters (1.6-2.4 inches) long, generally rounded and divided into three lobes. The leaves are finely textured with wrinkled edges lined with gland-tipped teeth.
The inflorescence is a dense, erect, spikelike raceme of up to 25 flowers. The flower is somewhat tubular with five dark-veined pinkish purple sepals spreading into a corolla-like array at the tips. At the center are smaller pale purple petals. The fruit is a purple berry about half a centimeter (0.2 inch) wide, coated in hairs.