The most striking feature of this shrub is its prickly berries. It is unclear what advantage this provides in comparison to berries without prickles. Other species of plants produce prickly fruits as well – e.g., some Opuntia spp. (Prickly Pear Cacti) have prickly fruits that are offered for sale in grocery stores. In addition to its prickly berries, Prickly Gooseberry can be distinguished from other Ribes spp. (Gooseberries) by the inserted stamens of its flowers and leaves with indented bases (cordate). Other Gooseberries in Illinois have non-prickly berries, flowers with exerted stamens, and leaf bases that are truncate, rounded (obtuse), or less indented. Those Ribes spp. that are Currants have larger clusters of flowers/berries (5 or more). Prickly Gooseberry is more common in areas that are located to the north and east of Illinois.

This native woody shrub is about 2-4' tall, branching occasionally. Young branches are green, while older branches are grey or brown. They have two kinds of thorns

Prickly Gooseberry occurs occasionally in central and northern Illinois, while in the southern part of the state it is uncommon or absent (see Distribution Map). Habitats include thin rocky woodlands, wooded slopes, woodland borders, and limestone bluffs. Some disturbance is beneficial to this species if it reduces the overhead tree canopy. Faunal Associations

Ribes cynosbati var. glabratum Fernald:
United States (North America)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Grossularia cynosbati (L.) Mill.:
Canada (North America)
United States (North America)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Ribes cynosbati var. atrox Fernald:
Canada (North America)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Ribes cynosbati L.:
Canada (North America)
United States (North America)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Canada

Origin: Unknown/Undetermined

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Unknown/Undetermined

Confidence: Confident

United States

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

Isotype for Ribes cynosbati var. atrox Fernald
Catalog Number: US 1651665
Collection: Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Department of Botany
Preparation: Pressed specimen
Collector(s): M. L. Fernald & A. S. Pease
Year Collected: 1934
Locality: S of Littlecurrent., Manitoulin Island, Ontario, Canada, North America

Prickly Gooseberry occurs occasionally in central and northern Illinois, while in the southern part of the state it is uncommon or absent (see Distribution Map). Habitats include thin rocky woodlands, wooded slopes, woodland borders, and limestone bluffs. Some disturbance is beneficial to this species if it reduces the overhead tree canopy. Faunal Associations

Ribes cynosbati (Prickly Gooseberry)
(Short-tongued bees suck nectar or collect pollen, flies suck nectar or feed on pollen, other insects suck nectar; the wasp, Dolichovespula maculata, sometimes perforates the flowers [prf] and sucks nectar from these perforations [sn@prf], otherwise it sucks nectar from the flowers normally; one observation is from Trelease as indicated below, otherwise observations are from Graenicher)

Bees (long-tongued)
Apidae (Apinae): Apis mellifera sn; Apidae (Bombini): Bombus griseocallis sn, Bombus pensylvanica sn, Bombus ternarius sn; Anthophoridae (Xylocopini): Xylocopa virginica sn

Bees (short-tongued)
Halictidae (Halictinae): Halictus rubicunda sn; Andrenidae (Andreninae): Andrena cressonii sn, Andrena milwaukeensis sn cp, Andrena nivalis sn cp olg, Andrena vicina sn cp

Wasps
Vespidae: Dolichovespula maculata sn prf sn@prf (Tr), Vespula germanica sn

Ants
Formicidae: Crematogaster lineolata sn np, Formica fusca sn np

Flies
Syrphidae: Eupeodes americanus, Pipiza femoralis

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 0
Specimens with Barcodes: 1
Species With Barcodes: 1

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 0
Specimens with Barcodes: 6
Species With Barcodes: 1

Canada

Rounded National Status Rank: NNR - Unranked

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: N5 - Secure

Rounded Global Status Rank: G5 - Secure

The preference is partial sun, mesic to dry conditions, and loamy or rocky soil. In excessive shade, flowers and fruit may fail to develop. Gooseberries and currants (Ribes spp.) are alternate hosts to White Pine Blister rust.