The New Student's Reference Work/Currant

Cur′rant. Species of the genus Ribes, which belongs to the saxifrage family. Associated with the currants in the genus are the gooseberries. The genus contains numerous species which are widely scattered, many of them being native to North America. Four species are cultivated in American gardens. R. rubrum includes the red and white varieties, and is found wild in both Europe and North America. R. nigrum is the European black currant. R. Americanum (R. floridum) is the American black currant, very similar to the European form. R. aureum, the Missouri or Buffalo currant with spicy, yellow flowers, is usually grown as an ornamental shrub, being native to western North America.