Ribes triste

Swamp Red Currant

Leaf Top

Good Spirit Lake Provincial Park
31-May-2008

Note the petiole is flattened and winged at the base.

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.  Budd's Flora refers to this species as R. rubrum.

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Triste: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora (BF)  and Flora of Alberta (FOA) leading to this species. 
bulletstems not spiny, or spines only at the nodes; NOT [stems densely spiny along the internodes] (BF)
bulletstems not prickly; NOT [stems more or less prickly] (FOA)
bulletstems not bristly; NOT [stems usually bristly] (FOA)
bulletleaves plicate (folded) in the bud; NOT [leaves convolute (rolled) in the bud]
bulletlobes of leaves closely and uniformly serrate from base to tip; NOT [lobes of leaves coarsely dentate above the middle]
bulletleaves without resinous glands; NOT [leaves dotted beneath with resinous glands or bearing stalked glands]
bulletinflorescence an elongated raceme, flowers numerous; NOT [inflorescence a reduced raceme, 1- to 3- flowered]
bulletpedicles jointed below the ovary
bulletpedicels often minutely glandular
bulletflowers regular; NOT [flowers slightly irregular]
bulletflowers not golden yellow; NOT [flowers golden yellow to somewhat reddish]
bulletfruits reddish or blue-black when mature; NOT [fruits black when mature]
bulletovary and fruit glabrous, or with a few sessile glands; NOT [ovary and fruit more or less densely glandular pubescent]

 

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Grossulariaceae: Answers to key questions in Flora of Alberta leading to this family.  Note these answers only apply to the unarmed members of the family.
bulletshrubs; NOT [herbs]
bulletplants NOT aquatic
bulletplants green; NOT [plants white, pink or reddish brown]
bulletplants unarmed; NOT [plants armed with prickles, spines or thorns]
bulletleaves alternate; NOT [leaves opposite or whorled]
bulletleaves well developed; NOT [leaves reduced to scales]
bulletleaves not needle-like; NOT [leaves needle-like 5-10 mm long]
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 alternate with the petals; NOT [stamens opposite the petals]
bulletstamens 5
bulletovary inferior; NOT [ovary superior]
bulletfruit yellow, red or black; NOT [fruit white or orange-red]
bulletfruit several-seeded; NOT [fruit 1-seeded]
bulletNOT [plants 1-2 dm tall, with small appressed leaves; pubescent; flowers yellow; of sandy habitats]