Ribes canthariforme

Moreno currant
Conservation status
Critically Imperiled (NatureServe)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Core eudicots
Order:	Saxifragales
Family:	Grossulariaceae
Genus:	Ribes
Species:	R. canthariforme
Binomial name
Ribes canthariforme Wiggins [1]

Ribes canthariforme is a rare species of currant known by the common name Moreno currant. It is endemic to San Diego County, California, where it can be found only in the Peninsular Ranges around the Laguna Mountains and surrounding slopes. It is a member of the local chaparral plant community. The most recent estimates indicate that there are about 70 individual plants remaining.^[2] Most of these occur on land within Cleveland National Forest, and since there are few serious threats the species is not otherwise specifically protected.^[3] This is a mostly erect shrub growing 1 to 2.5 meters tall. The stems are fuzzy and glandular and lack spines and prickles. The thick, densely hairy leaves are 4 to 6 centimeters long, generally rounded and divided into three lobes. The leaves are finely textured with wrinkled edges lined with gland-tipped teeth. The inflorescence is a dense, erect, spikelike raceme of up to 25 flowers. The flower is somewhat tubular with five dark-veined pinkish purple sepals spreading into a corolla-like array at the tips. At the center are smaller pale purple petals. The fruit is a purple berry about half a centimeter wide which is coated in hairs.

References

1. ^  Species was first described and published in Contributions from the Dudley Herbarium of Stanford University. i. 101 (1929). Stanford, California. "Plant Name Details for Ribes canthariforme". IPNI. http://www.ipni.org:80/ipni/idPlantNameSearch.do?id=792612-1. Retrieved August 1, 2010. 
2. ^ Flora of North America
3. ^ The Nature Conservancy

External links

• Jepson Manual Treatment
• USDA Plants Profile
• Photo gallery