Ribes canthariforme

Moreno currant

Family: Grossulariaceae · Type: shrub · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.3

Moreno currant is a rare (CNPS 1B.3) California native shrub found in western Peninsular Ranges in chaparral at elevations of 500 to 1,200 meters. Flowering from February to April, this plant produces purple flowers with darker veins in dense spike- or head-like clusters. Growing to less than 2.5 meters tall with no nodal spines, it has a distinctive growth form with soft, wavy stems. Its thick leaves are 4 to 6 centimeters long, green on top with long soft hairs, and gray-green underneath with dense hairy coverage. The fruit is a purple berry 5 to 6 millimeters long, initially covered with long, soft, wavy hairs that diminish with age.

Habitat: Chaparral

Bloom period: Feb-Apr

Elevation: 500-1200 m

Bioregions: w PR.

California counties: San Diego, Riverside

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.