There are five purple or red 2-4 mm. sepals, which begin closed, then turn back toward the stem exposing the petals and stamens beneath them. There are five white or pink-tinged 2 mm. petals with margins curled inward; five white anthers protrude from the petals, and two styles protrude from the anthers, the styles with pointed tips.  The  5-6 mm. hypanthium  is longer than wide (JM2). The leaves, stems, and sepals are all glandular and hairy. Maple Springs Road, Cleveland National Forest, Orange County, CA. 3-24-12. © Joan Avise

Bitter Gooseberry

Ribes amarum

An erect summer-deciduous shrub from 3 to 6 ft. tall, "fairly common in shaded woodlands and chaparral at higher elevations in the Santa Ana Mountains." (Roberts, p. 143). New leaves appear in winter before the flowers. Twigs, leaves, sepals and fruit are covered with glandular hairs.  Pollination is by hummingbirds and small bees.  Flowering February to April.


Maple Springs Road, Cleveland National Forest, Orange County, CA. 3-24-12. © Joan Avise

North Main Divide Rd., Santa Ana Mountains, Orange Co., CA. 4-5-12. © Joan Avise

North Main Divide Rd., Santa Ana Mountains, Orange Co., CA. 4-5-12. © Joan Avise

North Main Divide Rd., Santa Ana Mountains, Orange Co., CA. 4-5-12. © Joan Avise

North Main Divide Rd., Santa Ana Mountains, Orange Co., CA. 4-5-12. © Joan Avise

North Main Divide Rd., Santa Ana Mountains, Orange Co., CA. 4-5-12. © Joan Avise

Maple Springs Road, Cleveland National Forest, Orange County, CA. 3-24-12. © Joan Avise

Flower bud; sepals begin closed, then gradually become reflexed toward the stem. Maple Springs Road, Cleveland National Forest, Orange County, CA. 3-24-12. © Joan Avise

Glandular leaves. North Main Divide Rd., Santa Ana Mountains, Orange Co., CA. 4-5-12. © Joan Avise

Glandular leaves. North Main Divide Rd., Santa Ana Mountains, Orange Co., CA. 4-5-12. © Joan Avise

The fruit is a bristly berry up to 2 cm. wide, turning from green to red to purple as it matures. Developing fruit is not covered by sepals. Maple Springs Road, Cleveland National Forest, Orange County, CA. 3-24-12. © Joan Avise

Early fruit matures from green to red to purple, up to 2 cm. when ripe; dried petals remain attached. Developing fruit is not covered by sepals. Maple Springs Road, Cleveland National Forest, Orange County, CA. 3-24-12. © Joan Avise

Sepals begin closed, gradually becoming reflexed toward the stem. Stems have three spines per node, up to 1 cm. long. Maple Springs Road, Cleveland National Forest, Orange County, CA. 3-24-12. © Joan Avise

The inflorescence generally has one to three flowers hanging upside down from the leaf axils. Maple Springs Road, Cleveland National Forest, Orange County, CA. 3-24-12. © Joan Avise

Maple Springs Road, Cleveland National Forest, Orange County, CA. 3-24-12. © Joan Avise

Maple Springs Road, Cleveland National Forest, Orange County, CA. 3-24-12. © Joan Avise