stink currant Grossulariaceae Ribes
bracteosum Douglas ex Hook.
symbol: RIBR
Leaf: Alternate, simple, deciduous, maple leaf-shaped with 5-7 deep lobes, 2 to 8 inches across, long petiole, upper surface is glabrous and the lower surface is dull with sparse hairs and yellow glands. Leaves are stinky when crushed.
Flower: Perfect; inflorescence is erect and composed of 20-40 individual, small white flowers in a narrow, spike-like cluster 6 to 12 inches long.
Fruit: Small blue-black berries with a whitish bloom occuring in long clusters (6 to 12 inches), edible but taste is highly variable. The long clusters are quite distinctive since most currants bear their fruit in small clumps.
Twig: All parts are round and unarmed.
Bark: Green to brown with yellow glands that smell sweet, skunky, or catty.
Form: Erect, unarmed, usually less than 12 feet tall.
Looks like: mapleleaf currant
- wax currant
- red-flowering currant
- sticky currant