The names "Currant" and "Gooseberry" are used interchangeably for various members of the Ribes genus, but no distinguishing characteristics help separate Currants from Gooseberries; what one person calls a Currant, another calls a Gooseberry.  Common names often lump different species of plants together. (Read about plant names.)

     The name "Ribes" is of disputed meaning: one version states that "Ribes" comes from the Danish "ribs", a name for red currants.  Another version is that "Ribes" is from the Arabic name for similar plants.  We do know that Linnaeus named this genus in 1753.

   To white flowering Ribes.  To yellow flowering Ribes.

Ribes laxiflorum. Synonym: Ribes coloradense. (Currant)
Grossulariaceae (Gooseberry Family)

Montane, subalpine. Openings, sparse woodlands. Summer.
Road to Spiller/Helmet Ridge, June 19, 2007.

It is easy to pass this Ribes thinking it is Ribes wolfii, for the leaves are very similar.  A closer look will show that the leaves of R. laxiflorum are considerably larger, the leaf lobes are not as rounded, and the texture of the leaves is thicker. 

R. laxiflorum overall tends to be a more dense shrub;  R. wolfii has an open, airy growth form. 

But it is the habitat and flowers which most easily separate the two: R. laxiflorum enjoys open, sunny locations; R. wolfii is often found in thicker woods on very rocky slopes. 

The flowers of R. laxiflorum are pink and arise from last year's growth, usually under the new year's leaf growth -- as shown in the photograph at left and below.  R. wolfii flowers are showy white and arise on the new growth above the new leaves.

Weber separates R. laxiflorum from R. coloradense, but the Intermountain Flora, Utah Flora, USDA Plant Database, Four Corners Flora, and John Kartesz combine the two under the name R. laxiflorum.  Intermountain Flora indicates, "... R. laxiflorum  and R. coloradense are the same taxon and cannot be separated even at the varietal level."

Ribes laxiflorum. Synonym: Ribes coloradense. (Currant)
Grossulariaceae (Gooseberry Family)

Montane, subalpine. Woodlands. Summer.
Road to Spiller/Helmet Ridge, June 19, 2007.

In 1814 Frederick Pursh named R. laxiflorum from a specimen collected in approximately 1792 by Archibald Menzies.  Frederick Colville applied the name R. coloradense in 1901 to a specimen collected in Colorado by C. L. Shear in 1896.

Range map © John Kartesz,
Floristic Synthesis of North America

State Color Key

Species present in state and native
Species present in state and exotic
Species not present in state

County Color Key

Species present and not rare
Species present and rare
Species extirpated (historic)
Species extinct
Species noxious
Species exotic and present
Native species, but adventive in state
Eradicated
Questionable presence

Range map for Ribes laxiflorum