Ribes

Ribes is a genus of about 150 known species of flowering plants native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. It is usually treated as the only genus in the family Grossulariaceae, but a few taxonomists place the related genera Itea and Pterostemon in Grossulariaceae.

Description

The genus Ribes includes both currants and gooseberries. The fruit of these plants are edible and are often used in jams, jellies, and desserts, or as a garnish. The wood of some species is used to make spindles.

Species

There are approximately 150 species of Ribes, including:

• Ribes alpinum – Alpine currant
• Ribes aureum – Golden currant
• Ribes bracteosum – Stink currant
• Ribes cereum – Wax currant
• Ribes cynosbati – Prickly gooseberry
• Ribes glandulosum – Skunk currant
• Ribes hirtellum – American gooseberry
• Ribes inerme – White-stem gooseberry
• Ribes lacustre – Prickly currant
• Ribes lobbii – Gummy gooseberry
• Ribes montigenum – Mountain gooseberry
• Ribes nevadense – Sierra gooseberry
• Ribes oxyacanthoides – Canadian gooseberry
• Ribes rubrum – Red currant
• Ribes sanguineum – Flowering currant
• Ribes triste – Swamp red currant
• Ribes uva-crispa – European gooseberry
• Ribes viburnifolium – Catalina currant

Cultivation and uses

Ribes species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species. The fruit are berries that are often used in the preparation of jams, jellies, and desserts. Some species are cultivated for their ornamental flowers and interesting foliage.

See also

• List of Lepidoptera that feed on Ribes
• Grossulariaceae

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