by Allen Zufett, Native Plants Class 2002
Common names: Golden current, Fragrant golden current, Buffalo current.
Family: Grossulariaceae
Synonymy: Ribes odoratun H. Wendl
Etymology: The epithet aureum refer to the color of the berries. Odoratum (the synonym epithet) means perfumed or fragrant.

Identification
Growth form: Bushy shrub.
Roots:
Stem: Woody stem, grows to 6 feet. Twigs are pinkish-gray (2).
Leaves: Leaves are deeply 3 lobed, simple, and alternate, growing to less than 2 inches in diameter.
Inflorescence/flowers: Fragrant flowers, yellow and tubular in shape, very showy and pretty (5).
Fruit: The fruits are berries growing to 6 mm in diameter, red, yellow, or black in color (5).
Similar species:

Ecology
Life history: Shrub growing in many ecosystems, closely tied to water sources or drainages. Occurs in grasslands, mountain forests, woodlands, and coniferous forests (1, 2).
Native/introduced: Native in the west, naturalized as ornamental in the east.
Photosynthetic pathway:
Phenology: Flowers in the spring, fruits are ripe midsummer (June to August) (5, 7).
Distribution: British Columbia to Saskatchewan, south to western Nebraska and Texas. Eastward through to California. Elevationally occurring from 3700-8000 feet (2, 5).

Uses
Wildlife: Important habitat plant for small rodents and birds. Provides nesting cover, and food for same. Not optimal for forage plant for larger wildlife or cattle, moderately useful for sheep (6).
Human: Used by native peoples in making pemmican. Berries are collected and made into jams, jellies, and are excellent in a current-apple pie (3, 8).

References
1. Coxson, Darwyn S.; Looney, John Henry H. 1986. Vegetation patterns within southern Alberta coulees. Canadian Journal of Botany. 64: 2464-2475.

2. Conrad, C. Eugene. 1987. Common shrubs of chaparral and associated ecosystems of southern California. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-99. Berkeley, CA. U. S. Dept. of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Forest and Range Experiment Station. 86 p.

3. Goodrich, Sherel. 1985. Utah flora: Saxifragaceae. Great Basin Naturalist. 45(2): 155-172.

4. Elias, Thomas S.; Dykeman, Peter A. 1982. Field guide to North American edible wild plants. [Place of publication unknown]: Outdoor Life Books. 286 p.

5. Gleason, Henry A.; Cronquist, Arthur. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. 2nd ed. New York: New York Botanical Garden. 910 p.

6. Hickman, James C., ed. 1993. The Jepson manual: Higher plants of California. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. 1400 p.

7. Mohlenbrock, Robert H. 1986. (Revised edition). Guide to the vascular flora of Illinois. Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois University Press. 507 p.

8. Welsh, Stanley L.; Atwood, N. Duane; Goodrich, Sherel; Higgins, Larry C., eds. 1987. A Utah flora. Great Basin Naturalist Memoir No. 9. Provo, UT: Brigham Young University. 894 p.