Blackcurrant Blackcurrant The blackcurrant or black currant ("Ribes nigrum") is a woody shrub in the family Grossulariaceae grown for its berries. It is native to temperate parts of central and northern Europe and northern Asia where it prefers damp fertile soils and is widely cultivated both commercially and domestically. It is winterhardy, but cold weather at flowering time during the spring reduces the size of the crop. Bunches of small, glossy black fruit develop along the stems in the summer and can be harvested by hand or by machine. The raw fruit is particularly rich in vitamin C and polyphenol phytochemicals.
Epicoccum nigrum "E. nigrum" were reported in children living in a damp and mouldy home, with daily exposure to "E. nigrum" in the shower. The fungus has been found on human skin and in spit samples. It does not typically cause systemic infection, although one case has been reported in an immunocompromised patient. "Epicoccum nigrum" has been treated under a variety of names in the genus "Epicoccum". It was first identified in 1815 by botanist Johaan Heinrich Friedrich Link. Today, all previously identified species are considered to be different variants of the species "E. nigrum". These include: "E. purpurascens", "E. diversisporum", "E.