| Ribes niveum | |
|---|---|
| | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Saxifragales |
| Family: | Grossulariaceae |
| Genus: | Ribes |
| Species: | R. niveum |
| Binomial name | |
| Ribes niveum Lindl., 1834 | |
| Synonyms [2] | |
| |
Ribes niveum is a North American species of currant known by the common names snowy gooseberry, [3] white-flowered gooseberry, [3] or snow currant. [4]
Ribes niveum is a shrub up to 3 meters (10 feet) tall. The branches have 1–3 spines at the nodes. [5] The leaves are 2.5–5 centimetres (1–2 in) wide, with 3–5 toothed lobes. [5]
The flowers are white or pale pink. The berries are dark blue or dark purple, and are palatable but sour. [3] [6] [5]
It is native to the western United States (Washington, Idaho, Oregon, and Nevada with isolated populations in Colorado and New Mexico). [7] It grows in open hillsides and thickets along streams. [8]