This small shrub is widely scattered in rocky mesic to subxeric woods of northeastern regions. In Ky. it is largely confined to calcareous soils on outcrops in ravines of eastern and northern regions; it is rare to absent in the lower Ohio Valley (K).. Leaf pubescence varies greatly, but the glabrate plants of some Appalachian regions, known as var. glabratum Fern., have not been documented in Ky. (F). As in most species of subgenus Grossularia, stems generally have 1-3 nodal spines, and sometimes sparse to dense internodal bristles, especially on young vigorous growth (W). However, sprouts with dense internodal spines are generally not collected for the herbarium. See notes under missouriense, which is easily confused. Yet natural hybrids are virtually unknown among these or other native species of the genus, despite generally consistent chromosome number; 2n = 16 in most cases. The fruits of cynosbati or other native Ribes in Ky. are not generally consumed by humans, but some favorable experiences have been reported (T. Littlefield, pers. comm.).