Chemistry and taxonomy of Ribes

Most species of Ribes are exceptionally rich in prodelphinidin and have no ellagitannins, but some species in certain subsections, nearly all montane in their habitat, contain ellagitannins and are poor in prodelphinidin. Ellagitannins, therefore seem to be produced at the expense of prodelphinidin and their presence is a derived, and not, as thought previously, a primitive character. The flavonoid pattern of the lowland species is very uniform and primitive, with unusually few irregular constituents. The possible origin of Ribes is discussed in relation to other genera of Saxifragaceae and related families, and the conclusion is reached that none of these can be considered as ancestral to Ribes. It is therefore surprising that the fossil record can trace the genus with confidence no further back than the Miocene.