A deciduous unarmed bush, ultimately 6 to 9 ft high, the young shoots clothed with pale hairs, some of which are glandular. Leaves of the black currant type, three- or sometimes five-lobed, 2 to 5 in. wide and about as long, glossy dark green and thinly downy above, clothed beneath with soft pale down, especially on the veins; stalk 1 to 21⁄2 in. long, downy. Racemes slender, erect, 2 to 4 in. long, about 1⁄2 in. wide, main-stalk as well as individual flower-stalks very downy and glandular. Flowers 1⁄4 in. wide, dull lurid red; receptacle funnel-shaped, glandular downy. Fruits globose, 3⁄8 in. wide, orange-coloured or red and covered with stalked glands.
Native of W. China, from Kansu to Szechwan; discovered by the Russian traveller, Potanin, in 1885; introduced by Wilson in 1904 and again in 1908 and 1910. It is a curious and remarkable currant on account of the racemes and very glandular fruit and the lurid hue of the blossoms which open in May.
var. floribundum Jesson R. jessoniae Stapf – This variety differs from typical R. maximowiczii in the longer inflorescences (4 to 6 in. long), the more numerous flowers, and in the shorter and fewer glandular bristles on the berries. Bot. Mag., t. 8840. The flowering material figured in the Botanical Magazine is from a plant at Borde Hill, Sussex, raised by F. D. Godman at South Lodge from seeds sent by Wilson from W. Szechwan during his first expedition for the Arnold Arboretum. The fruiting material figured was provided by Mrs Berkeley of Spetchley Park, Worcester (sister of the famous Miss Ellen Willmott), who reported to Kew that she had made a palatable jam from the fruits.