Missouri gooseberry, Ribes missouriense

Missouri gooseberry is a gooseberry, rather than a currant, because it has less than five flowers in a bunch. This and other species of Ribes were once much more common than they are today. Ribes is an intermediate host to the invasive white pine blister rust. That disease of white pines causes serious damage, so an effort to remove Ribes in the early 20th century greatly reduced their numbers. That effort continues even now in areas where the pines grow. Missouri gooseberry can be found in AR, CO, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MD, MI, MN, MO, MT, ND, NE, NJ(E), OH(E), OK, PA(E), SD, TN, VA, WI, WV, and ON. Jenkins Arboretum, Chester Co PA, 4/20/21. Currant family, Grossulariaceae.