Recently, a research team found clusters of ribes glaciale in Qixia Mountain in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu province. A relic plant from glacial period, the ribes glaciale is precious with high medicinal value.

The plant was found during a biodiversity survey carried out in Qixia Mountain by a research team of Nanjing Forestry University. They found out clusters of unknown wild bushes, so they took some samples back to the laboratory.

"The plant is identified as a relic plant from glacial period, which is called ribes glaciale," said Xu Xiaogang, vice professor of Environmental and Biological Engineering School of Nanjing Forestry University. The wild ribes glaciale they found is about 60 centimeters high with slim twigs.

According to Xu Xiaogang, the seeds of ribes glaciale have a high medicinal value since it is rich in unsaturated fatty acid, v-linolenic acid, vitamin C and pectin acid. The plant is mainly found in Europe, North America and the warmer part of north China.