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Home/Species/ Moreno Currant

Ribes canthariforme

Wiggins

Moreno Currant

G2Imperiled Found in 1 roadless area NatureServe Explorer →
G2ImperiledGlobal Rank
MediumThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.130903
Element CodePDGRO02070
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicendemic to a single state or province
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderRosales
FamilyGrossulariaceae
GenusRibes
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2025-03-27
Change Date2013-08-20
Edition Date2025-03-27
Edition AuthorsD. Gries, R. Bittman (2005), rev. C. Nordman (2025).
Threat ImpactMedium
Range Extent250-1000 square km (about 100-400 square miles)
Number of Occurrences6 - 20
Rank Reasons
Moreno Currant (Ribes canthariforme) occurs in the southwestern United States, where it is endemic to the Cuyamaca-Laguna Mountains of San Diego County, California. There are fewer than twenty occurrences. As of 2025 the total population was estimated to be between 200 and 600 plants. Most occurrences are on the Cleveland National Forest, there is one occurrence in the Hauser Wilderness, but others are in areas without special protective designation. Threats to Moreno Currant are generally low impact, and include residential development in a few areas, road maintenance activities, recreation impacts such as from ORV use, and dam construction and dam modifications to increase water storage capacity.
Range Extent Comments
Moreno Currant (Ribes canthariforme) occurs in the southwestern United States, where it is endemic to the Cuyamaca-Laguna Mountains of San Diego County, California and is reported from Baja California, Mexico apparently without documentation with specimens. Range extent was estimated to be about 500 square kilometers, using herbarium specimens and NatureServe Network occurrence data collected between 1994 and 2025 (Villaseñor 2016, RARECAT 2024, CCH2 2025, CNDDB 2025, GBIF 2025, NatureServe 2025).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1994 and 2025, it is estimated that there are between six and twenty occurrences rangewide (RARECAT 2024, CCH2 2025, CNDDB 2025, GBIF 2025, NatureServe 2025).
Threat Impact Comments
Threats to Moreno Currant are generally low impact, and include residential development in a few areas, road maintenance activities, recreation impacts such as from ORV use, and dam construction and dam modifications to increase water storage capacity. Most occurrences are on the Cleveland National Forest, were the threats are probably reduced.
Ecology & Habitat

Diagnostic Characteristics

There are many taxa of Ribes in California, the use of botanical keys will help enable correct identification (Jepson Flora Project 2025).

Habitat

Moreno Currant (Ribes canthariforme) occurs on granitic rock or in the shade of large rocks, within chaparral and riparian scrub communities, at 340 - 1200 meters elevation (Beauchamp 1986, FNA 2009, CCH2 2025, CNPS 2025, Jepson Flora Project 2025).

Reproduction

Moreno Currant (Ribes canthariforme) flowers from February to April (Jepson Flora Project 2025).
Terrestrial Habitats
Shrubland/chaparral
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN2
ProvinceRankNative
CaliforniaS2Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
1 - Residential & commercial developmentSmall (1-10%)Serious or 31-70% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
1.1 - Housing & urban areasSmall (1-10%)Serious or 31-70% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
4 - Transportation & service corridorsRestricted (11-30%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
4.1 - Roads & railroadsRestricted (11-30%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
6 - Human intrusions & disturbanceRestricted (11-30%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
6.1 - Recreational activitiesRestricted (11-30%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
7 - Natural system modificationsSmall (1-10%)Serious or 31-70% pop. declineHigh - low
7.2 - Dams & water management/useSmall (1-10%)Serious or 31-70% pop. declineHigh - low

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Plant Characteristics
DurationDECIDUOUS, SPRING-FLOWERING
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (1)
California (1)
AreaForestAcres
Pine CreekCleveland National Forest503
References (11)
  1. Beauchamp, R.M. 1986. A flora of San Diego County, California. Sweetwater River Press, California. 241 pp.
  2. California Native Plant Society (CNPS), Rare Plant Program. 2025. Inventory of Rare and Endangered Plants of California, online edition, v9.5. Online. Available: https://www.rareplants.cnps.org (accessed 2025).
  3. California Natural Diversity Database (CNDDB). 2025. RareFind Version 5.3.0. California Department of Fish and Game, Sacramento.
  4. CCH2 Portal. 2025. Consortium of California Herbaria. Online. Available: https//:www.cch2.org/portal/index.php (Accessed 2025).
  5. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2009. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 8. Magnoliophyta: Paeoniaceae to Ericaceae. Oxford University Press, New York. xxiv + 585 pp.
  6. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2025. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2025).
  7. Jepson Flora Project (eds.) 2025. Jepson eFlora. Online. Available: https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/ (accessed 2025).
  8. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  9. NatureServe. 2025. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  10. NatureServe's Rapid Analysis of Rarity and Endangerment Conservation Assessment Tool (RARECAT). 2024. Version: 1.1.1 (released Oct 01, 2024).
  11. Villaseñor, J.L. 2016. Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad 87: 559-902.