Grossulariaceae

Grossulariaceae is a small family of flowering plants within the order Saxifragales. It is best known for the genus Ribes, which includes the economically important currants and gooseberries. In modern classifications, the historically separate genus Grossularia is generally treated as a subgenus or synonym of Ribes, and the family is often considered monogeneric.

Plants in this family are typically deciduous shrubs or subshrubs, sometimes with spines (as in gooseberries) or without (as in currants). Leaves are alternate, simple, and often palmately lobed. Flowers are small and usually presented in racemes or umbels; they possess five sepals and five petals and are typically bisexual, though some species are functionally unisexual. The fruit is a berry containing several seeds.

Ribes species occur across temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with high diversity in North America and Eurasia. Flowers attract a range of pollinators, especially bees, and the fruits are consumed and dispersed by birds and mammals. The plants are cultivated for fruit, and numerous cultivars exist for fresh use, jams, and preserves.

Taxonomically, Grossulariaceae is placed within Saxifragales. The family is commonly treated as containing the genus Ribes, with about 150–180 species. The prior segregation of Grossularia is not widely recognized in APG-based systems. Some species have notable horticultural value, while others are managed to minimize disease spread in natural and agricultural ecosystems.

A notable agricultural consideration is the role of Ribes species as alternate hosts for Cronartium ribicola, the pathogen that causes white pine blister rust; this has led to historical restrictions on cultivation in certain regions to protect pine forests.