shrubs native throughout Northern Europe, Asia, North America, and in mountainous areas of South America and northwest Africa (Brennan, 1996). At least eighteen species have contrib- uted genes to domestic, edible fruited currants (Harmat et al., 1990). This Crop paper describes four sections of eco- nomically important species within the genus: black currants (section Botrycarpum, formerly Coreosma), red Reports and white currants (section Ribes), ornamental currants (section Calobotrya), and golden currants (sec- tion Symphocalyx) (Table 1). Ribes were previously classified in lack currants (Ribes nigrum the family Saxifragaceae, but recent Currants L.) and red and white cur- taxonomic treatments place them in B rants (R. rubrum L., synonym Grossulariaceae because of wholly in- 1 = R. vulgare Jancz., R. sativum Syme.) ferior ovaries, totally syncarpous gy- Kim E. Hummer and are little known crops in the United noecium, and fleshy fruit (Cronquist, Danny L. Barney2 States but are economically significant 1981; Sinnott, 1985). Although early in Russia, Poland, Germany, classifications recognized separate gen- Scandinavia, Great Britain, New era for currants and gooseberries Zealand, and many eastern European (Berger, 1924; Coville and Britton, ADDITIONAL INDEX WORDS. Ribes, countries (Fig. 1). The nutritious fruit 1908; Komarov, 1971) prevalent Ribes genetic resources, germplasm, of these plants are rich sources of anti- monographs recognize a single genus, nigrum, Ribes rubrum, Ribes sativum, Ribes sanguineum, Ribes hudsonianum oxidants (such as vitamin C), pheno- Ribes, for these crops (Janczewski, lics, and flavenoids. Some of these fruit 1907; Sinnott, 1985). Crossability are eaten fresh, while others are pro- between gooseberry and currant spe- cessed into juices, jams, jellies, bakery, cies supports this single genus concept We appreciate University of Idaho Agricultural Experi- and dairy products. Currants have great (Keep, 1962). ment Station, and USDA, ARS, CRIS 5358-21000- 029-00D for supporting this paper. potential for expansion into American juice and fruit markets. Origin and development 1USDA, ARS, National Clonal Germplasm Repository 33447 Peoria Road, Corvallis, OR, 97333-2521 CENTERS OF DIVERSITY. The cen- [email protected]. Classification ters of diversity for black currants and 2University of Idaho Sandpoint Research and Exten- Currants are botanically classified red currants include Northern Europe, sion Center, 2105 North Boyer, Sandpoint, ID 83864 in the genus Ribes L., which includes Scandinavia and the Russian Federa- [email protected]. more than 150 described species of tion (Jennings et al., 1987; Rehder, Fig. 1. Fruit of (top) black currant Ribes nigrum ‘Titania,’ (middle) red currant R. rubrum ‘Rovada,’ and (bottom) white currant R. rubrum ‘White Versailles.’ G July–September 2002 12(3) 377 CROP REPORTS 1986). In addition, several species of Monitoring Centre (2002) Red List of restricted zones of the U.S. The Or- black currants with sessile yellow glands Threatened Plants includes 18 Ribes egon National Heritage Program lists are native to South America. The cen- species. Ribes kolymense (Trautv.) R. cereum var. colubrinum Hitchc. as a ter for diversity of ornamental and Komarov ex Pojark is extinct from the species to be watched (Kagan, 2001). golden currants is North and Central former Soviet states; three American HISTORY OF DEVELOPMENT. The America. The principal evolutionary and one Sardinian species are endan- word currant is derived from the an- pressure in these groups appears to be gered; six American are vulnerable, cient Greek city, Corinth, and was first geographical adaptation (Sinnott, two from the Pacific northwestern used to describe small dried grapes 1985). Messinger et al. (1999) con- North America; another Sardinian and from that region (Hedrick, 1925). sider two possible, not mutually exclu- a Chilean species are rare; and three These grapes are now referred to and sive, evolutionary scenarios for Ribes: Russian species are indeterminate. Ribes are commercially sold as Zante cur- 1) long periods of stasis is interrupted ussuriense Jancz., one of the Russian rants. Early English texts described the by sudden radiation of species and 2) species listed as indeterminate, con- cultivated species of Ribes with word gene flow due to hybridization as a tains the dominant gene, Cr that pro- variations such as corinthes, corans, force for diversification. vides immunity from white pine blister currans, and bastarde corinthes ENDANGERED SPECIES. Currant rust (Cronartium ribicola J. C. Fisch) (Hedrick, 1925). The most commonly species are robust. Most are broadly (Brennan, 1996). Genes from this spe- used early English reference is attrib- distributed and are not in danger of cies have allowed the cultivation of uted to Lord Bacon (1561-1626), who extinction. The World Conservation black currants in white pine blister rust called them corans. The Italians refer Table 1. Common and scientific names for the currants, genus Ribes L., family Grossulariaceae. Common English name Foreign names Scientific name Black currant zwarte bes (Dutch) (Section Botrycarpum, formerly, Coreosma) cassissier (French) R. americanum Mill. schwarze johannisbeere (German) R. bracteosum Dougl. solbaer (Danish) R. dikuscha Fisch. ex Turcz. svarta vinbar (Swedish) R. fontaneum Bokarn. grosellero negro (Spanish) R. hudsonianum Rich. R. janczewski Pojark. R. nigrum L. R. nigrum var. sibericum Wolf. R. pauciflorum Turcz ex Pojark. R. procumbens Pall. R. ussuriense Jancz. R. viburnifolium A. Gray Red currant aalbes, rode bes (Dutch) (Section Ribesia) groseillier (French) R. multiflorum Kit. ex Schult. johannisbeere (German) R. petraeum Wulf. ribs (Danish) R. rubrum L (synonym = R. sativum Syme.) vinbar (Swedish) (synonym = R. vulgare Jancz.) grosellero rojo (Spanish) R. triste Pall. White currant wittebes (Dutch) R. rubrum L. groseille blanc (French) weiss johannisbeere (German) vit vinbar (Swedish) grosellero blanco (Spanish) Ornamental currant (Section Calobotrya) R. ciliatum Humb. & Bonpl. ex Schult. R. howellii Greene R. malvaceum Sm. R. nevadense Kellogg R. sanguineum Pursh R. s. var. glutinosum Benth. R. viscosissimum Pursh R. wolfii Rothr. Golden currant (Section Symphocalyx) R. aureum Pursh R. aureum Pursh var. villosum D.C. (synonym = R. odoratum Wendl.) 378 G July–September 2002 12(3) to this fruit as uvetta or little grape. Sphaerotheca mors-uvae (Schw.) Berk. ering currant (R. sanguineum) oc- Common name translations of several Red currants were first cultivated curred in the latter half of the 1900s. languages are presented (Table 1). as common garden plants in the six- For example, the University of British Black currants have been culti- teenth century in Holland, Denmark, Columbia patented pink flowering vated for about 400 years. They were and the coastal plains around the Bal- currant ‘White Icicle’ in 1985. originally collected from the wild by tic Sea (Brennan, 1996; Hedrick, herbalists, and were imported from 1925). The French word for red cur- Production statistics Holland to the United Kingdom by rant, “grosseillier d’outre mer” (cur- Total world black currant pro- Tradescant in 1611 (Brennan, 1996). rant from over the sea) implies a Dutch duction averaged about 620,000 t Gerarde (1636) described these plants origin. Red currant species grow wild (683,000 tons) during the 1990s. Pro- and their medicinal qualities. As late as in northern France, Germany, and duction tends to fluctuate from the 1890s, Stuartevant’s Notes Austria, but these fruit do not attain 500,000 to 600,000 t (551,000 to (Hedrick, 1919) report this species as the size and quality of those of the 661,000 tons) and increased to above “cultivated for its fruit which is valued more northern species. 650,000 t (716,000 tons) in 2001 for jelly-making.” Beginning about German descriptions of red cur- (Table 2). The large production has World War II, the high vitamin C rants date to 1484, while the first caused low fruit prices globally. The content was recognized and now black French mention is 1536 (Hedrick, Russian Federation, Poland, and Ger- currant juice represents a broad global 1919; 1925). References to red cur- many lead the world in production of economic market. World advertising is rants first appeared in English agricul- black currants. Red currants are valued expanding black currant use in Asia. tural literature in the sixteenth century for fresh markets and for the produc- Black currants have the greatest (Gerarde, 1636). Currants appear on a tion of preserves. The main red currant economic importance in this genus memorandum of the Massachusetts producers are Poland, Germany, Hol- and are native throughout northern Company in 1629 in a list of plants land, Belgium, France, and Hungary. Europe and central and northern Asia. destined for a new world colony. John Germany and the Slovak Republic are Botanical subgeneric taxa include R. Rea (1665) described at least five dif- the leading producers of white cur- nigrum subsp. europaeum, R. nigrum ferent types of currans: small black, rants. subsp. scandinavicum, and R. nigrum small red, great red, greatest dark red North American black and red var. sibiricum (Brennan, 1996). By Dutch, and white. The cultivars Red currant production is small and unre- 1826, five black currant cultivars ap- Dutch and White Dutch, became ported on the world market. Ribes peared on the Royal Horticultural widely distributed, were first intro- were grown widely in the U.S. and Society’s