Ribes thacherianum

Ribes thacherianum
R. thacherianum growing in Escondido, California

Imperiled  (NatureServe)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Core eudicots
Order: Saxifragales
Family: Grossulariaceae
Genus: Ribes
Species: R. thacherianum
Binomial name
Ribes thacherianum
(Jeps.) Munz 1958[1]
Synonyms[1][2]

R. menziesii var. thacherianum Jeps. 1936 (basionym)

Ribes thacherianum, with the common name Santa Cruz gooseberry, or Santa Cruz Island gooseberry, is a rare North American species of currant found only on one island off the coast of California.[3]

Description

Ribes thacherianum is an erect shrub growing to a maximum height around 2.5 meters (over 8 feet). The stems are coated in soft light hairs and bristles, and many of the stem nodes bear hard spines. The leaves are 2 to 3 centimeters (0.8-1.2 inches) long and shallowly divided into five dully toothed lobes.[4]

The inflorescence is made up of one or two flowers. Each flower has five reflexed pink sepals around a tube made up of smaller white petals. The stamens and stigmas protrude from the corolla. The fruit is a purple berry about 7 millimeters wide which is covered densely in bristles and hairs.[4]

Distribution

Ribes thacherianum is endemic to Santa Cruz Island, one of the northern Channel Islands of California, and within Channel Islands National Park.[3] It grows in the pine woodlands of the coastal ravines.

References

  1. 1 2  In: Aliso. A series of papers on the native plants of California 4: 92. 1958. "Plant Name Details for Ribes thacherianum". IPNI. Retrieved July 21, 2010. Notes: R. menziesii var. thacherianum
  2. ↑  Treated as Ribes menziesii variety thacherianum, this species was first described and published in A Flora of California 2: 156. 1936 "Plant Name Details for Ribes menziesii var. thacherianum". IPNI. Retrieved July 21, 2010.
  3. 1 2 Calflora taxon report, University of California, Ribes thacherianum (Jepson) Munz, Santa Cruz Island gooseberry, Santa Cruz gooseberry
  4. 1 2 Flora of North America
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