Ribes sanguineum Pursh var. sanguineum
red-flowering currant (redflower currant)
Grossulariaceae (Currant family)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

Photograph

© David Blevins     (Photo ID #503)


Map

E-Flora BC Static Map

Distribution of Ribes sanguineum var. sanguineum
Click here to view the full interactive map and legend

Species Information

General:
Deciduous shrub, loosely branched, 1-3 m tall; stems erect, finely hairy, unarmed; bark brownish to reddish-brown.
Leaves:
Alternate, broadly kidney-shaped or rounded, shallowly heart-shaped at the base, 2-7 cm wide, equally to irregularly 5-lobed nearly half their length, the lobes rounded, shallowly 2-3 toothed, glabrous above, finely hairy below; stalks equal to or slightly shorter than the blades, finely hairy and sometimes glandular.
Flowers:
Inflorescence of 5-30 flowers in a spreading raceme equal to or longer than the leaves; flower stalks 1-5 mm long, jointed below the flowers, glandular; petals light to dark rose, rarely white, egg-shaped, 2.5-3.5 mm long; hypanthium nearly tubular to slightly bell-shaped, 3-5 mm long; calyces pale to deep rose, finely hairy and stalked-glandular; styles fused and glabrous, about equaling the stamens.
Fruits:
Berries, round, blue-black, glaucous, 6-9 mm long, usually stalked-glandular.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Illustration

If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.

Habitat and Range

Moist to dry forests and rock outcrops in the lowland and montane zones; frequent in SW and SE BC north to 52degreeN; S to CA.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia