RIBES UVA-CRISPA

Family and Genus:- See- GROSSULARIACEAE

Common Names:- Wild gooseberry

Homotypic Synonyms:- Ribes grossularia ssp. austro-europaeum

Meaning:- Ribes (L) From the Persian, ribas, for acid-tasting.

Uva-crispa (L) Curly-bunch.

General description:- Much-branched, erect deciduous shrub.

Stems:-

1) Geneally 40-120 cm tall, with (1-)3 strong, broad-based, straight or falcate spines

at each node.

Leaves:-

1) Small, generally 2-5 cm x 8-18 mm, arely more, broadly ovate in outline, grey-

pubescent, 3-lobed with obtusely crenate-dentate lobes.

Flowers:-

1) In axillary clusters of 1-3, hermaphrodite.

2) Pedicels, with 2 bracteoles near the middle.

3) Sepals, 5-7 mm, ligulate, pale greenish-yellow often with a purplish tinge.

Fruit:-

1) Berry, c. 10 mm diam, green, yellow or purplish-red, usually hispid.

Key features:-

1) Flowers, in axillary clusters of 1-3.

2) Leaves, usually more than 20 mm wide.

3) Spines, usually present.

4) Bracteoles, present.

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Habitat:- Rocky limestone slopes, dolines and open coniferous woodland, generally

on limestone. 1000-1700 m.

Distribution:- Endemic to Greece, found mainly in the mountains of Peloponnisos

and locally in Stera Elias. Rare on Crete, known from only few locaions in the

Psiloritis, Dikti and Afendis Kavousi massifs.

Flowering time:- May-June.

Photo by:- Kind permission of Saxifraga - Free Nature Images