Ribes hudsonianum : Black Currant

Scientific Name:

Kingdom: Plantae

Division:

• Tracheophyta (vascular)
• Spermatophyta (seed bearing)
Angiospermae (enclosed seed)

Class: Dicoteldonae (two seed-leaves)

Family: Saxifragaceae (Saxifrage Family)

Genera: Ribes (Currants) (Arabic ribas=name of an unrelated rhubarb-like plant valued for its acid properties.)

Species: hudsonianum (Named after Hudson Bay where this species is common)

English Name(s):

Black Currant, Northern / Hudson Bay / Black Currant

First Nation Names:

deetree jak

Structure:

• Shrubs of medium size.

Leaves:

• Palmate and cordate in shape. Venation also palmate usually with 5 main viens.
• Blades 2-8cm long by 5-7cm wide.

Reproductive Parts:

• Flowers perfect (bisexual).
• Ovary superior with 2 united carpels (female parts).
• Calyx (petals + sepals) tubed with petals alternating with the stamens (male parts).
• Flower parts 5-merous.
• Petals shorter than the coloured sepals.

Seed:

• Fruit is a berry.

Not to Be Confused With:

• All Ribes (Currant) species look similar. Defining characteristics are: The colour of the berries red or black; Presence or not of bristles on stems or berries; Leaf lobes deep or shallow.

Physiology:

Life Cycle:

• Perennial.

Seasonal Cycle:

• Leaves deciduous (falling off).

Animal Uses:

• Bees are the main pollinators of all Ribes (Currant) species. They gather both nectar and pollen from these shrubs.
• Birds are the main agents of seed dispersal. Eating the fruit whole and passing the seeds through their system. Tests show that some Ribes (Currant) seeds germinate better after passing through certain bird species.

Habitat:

• Moist woods, thickets and rocky slopes.

Modern:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

Food:

Traditional Gwich'in:

Folklore:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

Food:

Traditional Other:

Folklore:

Industrial:

Medicinal:

Food: