Ribes glandulosum
Ribes glandulosum, or the skunk currant, is a North American species of flowering plant in the currant family.
Description
Ribes glandulosum is a deciduous shrub growing to tall and wide. The leaves are wide, palmately lobed with 5–7 deeply cut segments. Flowers are in elongated clusters of 6–15 pink flowers. Fruits are dark red and egg-shaped, sometimes palatable but sometimes not.
Distribution and habitat
It is widespread in Canada and is also found in parts of the United States. It can be found in humid forests, shrub thickets, clearings, and on rocky slopes.
It is considered a noxious weed in Michigan, and planting it is prohibited in certain parts of the state.
Conservation
Ribes glandulosum has been assessed as least concern on the IUCN Red List. It is listed as endangered in Connecticut and New Jersey, and presumed extirpated in Ohio.
Uses
The Ojibwe people take a compound decoction of the root for back pain and for "female weakness". The Woods Cree use a decoction of the stem, either by itself or mixed with wild red raspberry, to prevent clotting after birth, eat the berries as food, and use the stem to make a bitter tea. The Algonquin people use the berries as food.