Ribes californicum

Ribes californicum, with the common name hillside gooseberry, is a North American species of currant. It is endemic to California.

Description

Ribes californicum is a mostly erect shrub growing to a maximum height around. Nodes along the stem each bear three spines up to in length. The hairy to hairless leaves are long and divided into oblong, toothed lobes.
The inflorescence is a solitary flower or raceme of up to three flowers which hang pendent from the branches. The flower has five sepals in shades of deep red or green with a red tinge, which are reflexed upward. At the center is a tubular corolla of white or pinkish petals around five stamens and two longer styles.
The fruit is an edible red berry about 1 cm wide which is covered in stiff spines.

Varieties

Ribes californicum var. californicum - mostly Coast Ranges from Ventura County to Mendocino County, with additional populations in Orange County
Ribes californicum var. hesperium - primarily San Gabriel Mountains in Southern California

Distribution and habitat

It is endemic to California, where it can be found throughout many of the California Coast, Transverse, and Peninsular Ranges in local habitat types such as chaparral and woodlands.