Whitestem gooseberry facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Whitestem gooseberry |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Ribes
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| Species: |
inerme
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| Varieties | |
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Ribes inerme var. klamathense (Coville) Jeps. |
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Ribes inerme is a type of currant plant. People often call it the whitestem gooseberry or white stemmed gooseberry. This plant grows naturally in western North America. You can find it from British Columbia down to California. It also grows east to the Rocky Mountains. It likes to live in mountain forests, wooded areas, and open fields.
There is also a less common type called Ribes inerme var. klamathense. This one is known as the Klamath gooseberry. It grows only in California and Oregon.
What Does the Whitestem Gooseberry Look Like?
The whitestem gooseberry is a shrub. It can grow straight up or spread out. It might form a thick bush up to 3 meters (about 10 feet) tall. Its stem can be smooth or have small bristles. It also has black sticky glands and tiny spines where the leaves grow.
The plant has small leaves. Each leaf is deeply cut into three to five parts. These parts have jagged edges. Sometimes, these parts are divided even further into smaller sections.
Flowers and Fruit
The flowers of the whitestem gooseberry grow in a special way. They can appear alone or in a cluster of up to five flowers. This cluster hangs downwards. Each flower has five reddish-green parts called sepals. These sepals bend upwards.
In the middle of the flower, you will see white or pinkish petals. There are also parts that stick out. These are the stamens (which make pollen) and the stigmas (which receive pollen).
The fruit is a berry. It is edible, meaning you can eat it! The berry is smooth and can be greenish, purple, or black. It is usually about 1 centimeter (0.4 inches) wide.
Different Types of Whitestem Gooseberry
There are two main types, or varieties, of Ribes inerme:
- Ribes inerme var. inerme
- Ribes inerme var. klamathense — This is the Klamath gooseberry.
