Ribes oxyacanthoides

Northern Gooseberry

Flower Side/Top in Ground

Redberry Lake Regional Park
17-May-08

Note the flared or spreading sepals, erect petals, and two styles.  The sepals often reflex as the flower develops.

The Ribes genus was previously placed within a traditional version of the Saxifragaceae family which included a great many diverse genera.  That version of the Saxifragaceae family is now considered to be polyphyletic, and the family is now much reduced.  Ribes has been moved to a new family called Grossulariaceae, within which Ribes is the only genus.  Budd's Flora (1987) still places Ribes in Saxifragaceae, while Flora of Alberta (1994) places it in Grossulariaceae.  

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Oxyacanthoides: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora (BF)  and Flora of Alberta (FOA) leading to this species. 
bulletstems more or less prickly; NOT [stems not prickly]
bulletstems usually bristly; NOT [stems not bristly]
bulletfruiting stems usually bristly; NOT [fruiting stems rarely with bristles on the middle and upper internodes]
bulletinflorescence a reduced raceme, 1- to 3- flowered; NOT [inflorescence an elongated raceme, flowers numerous]
bulletpedicels NOT jointed below the ovary
bulletcalyx tubular to cup-shaped; NOT [calyx saucer-shaped]
bulletstamens shorter than the sepals; NOT [stamens about equalling the sepals]
bulletstamens about as long as the petals; NOT [stamens longer than the petals]
bulletfruit smooth; NOT [berries bristly glandular]
bulletfruit red to black; NOT [berries black]

 

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Grossulariaceae: Answers to key questions in Flora of Alberta leading to this family.  Note these answers only apply to the armed members of the family.
bulletplants NOT aquatic
bulletplants green; NOT [plants white, pink or reddish brown]
bulletshrubs; NOT [herbs]
bulletplants armed with prickles, spines or thorns; NOT [plants unarmed]
bulletleaves or branches armed, not both; NOT [leaves and branches both armed]
bulletbranches with needle-like spines; NOT [branches with stout thorns (1) 2-7 cm long]
bulletleaves alternate; NOT [leaves opposite], NOT [leaves whorled]
bulletleaves well developed; NOT [leaves reduced to scales]
bulletleaves NOT pinnate
bulletleaves NOT spiny-margined
bulletperianth biseriate (i.e. of two different series of appendages, the inner generally larger, coloured, the outer generally smaller, greenish); NOT [perianth uniseriate (i.e. of only one series of appendages all more or less the same) or entirely absent]
bulletcorolla of separate petals; NOT [corolla of united petals, or only 2 or 3 petals connate or united and the flowers markedly irregular] (Note: the bases of the sepals, petals, and stamens of Grossulariaceae are fused to create a hypanthium which arises from the top of the inferior ovary.  Above the hypanthium the petals are distinct.)
bulletstamens 5; NOT [stamens 10], NOT [stamens more than twice as many as the petals, usually numerous]