Americanum: Answers to key questions in Budd's Flora (BF)  and Flora of Alberta (FOA) leading to this species. 

	stems not spiny, or spines only at the nodes; NOT [stems densely spiny along the internodes] (BF)
	stems not prickly; NOT [stems more or less prickly] (FOA)
	stems not bristly; NOT [stems usually bristly] (FOA)
	leaves plicate (folded) in the bud; NOT [leaves convolute (rolled) in the bud]
	NOT [plants with leaves, young stems, inflorescence and fruits all glandular-puberulent]
	leaves dotted beneath with resinous glands or bearing stalked glands; NOT [leaves without resinous glands]
	inflorescence an elongated raceme, flowers numerous; NOT [inflorescence a reduced raceme, 1- to 3- flowered]
	pedicels much shorter than the bracts; NOT [pedicels much longer than the bracts]
	pedicels jointed below the ovary
	flowers regular; NOT [flowers slightly irregular]
	hypanthium-tube tubular to narrowly cup-shaped; NOT [hypanthium-tube broadly cup-shaped]
	flowers not golden yellow; NOT [flowers golden yellow to somewhat reddish]
	sepals greenish white or yellowish; NOT [sepals white]
	ovary lacking sessile glands; NOT [ovary usually with a few sessile glands]
	ovary and fruit glabrous; NOT [ovary and fruit more or less densely glandular pubescent]
	fruits black when mature; NOT [fruits reddish or blue-black when mature]

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.

	shrubs; NOT [herbs]
	plants NOT aquatic
	plants green; NOT [plants white, pink or reddish brown]
	plants unarmed; NOT [plants armed with prickles, spines or thorns]
	leaves alternate; NOT [leaves opposite or whorled]
	leaves well developed; NOT [leaves reduced to scales]
	leaves not needle-like; NOT [leaves needle-like 5-10 mm long]
	perianth 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]
	corolla 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.)
	stamens alternate with the petals; NOT [stamens opposite the petals]
	stamens 5
	ovary inferior; NOT [ovary superior]
	fruit yellow, red or black; NOT [fruit white or orange-red]
	fruit several-seeded; NOT [fruit 1-seeded]
	NOT [plants 1-2 dm tall, with small appressed leaves; pubescent; flowers yellow; of sandy habitats]