Ribes Ribes Ribes is a genus of about 150 known species of flowering plants native throughout the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. It is usually treated as the only genus in the family Grossulariaceae, but a few taxonomists place the gooseberry species in a separate genus of "Grossularia". Sometimes "Ribes" is instead included in the family Saxifragaceae. The genus "Ribes" includes the edible currants (blackcurrant, redcurrant, white currant), the gooseberry, and several hybrid varieties. It should not be confused with the dried currant used in cakes and puddings, which is a small-fruited cultivar of grape (Zante currant). "Ribes" gives its
Acer nigrum more deeply grooved bark, slightly smaller seeds, and thicker petioles. Hybrids are intermediate in their characteristics. The geographic range of "A. nigrum" is slightly more limited than the sugar maple, encompassing much of the Midwestern United States, portions of the Eastern United States, and the southeast of Canada in southern Ontario. The black maple's mature height ranges from 21 to 34 meters (70 to 110 feet). This species is used similarly to the "A. saccharum", for timber as hard maple, for landscaping, and for maple syrup production. Acer nigrum Acer nigrum (black maple) is a species of maple closely related