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hairy ground-cherry, husk tomato

heartleaf groundcherry

Habit Herbs annual, taprooted, ± glabrous to villous, hairs simple, jointed, glandular and eglandular, of varying lengths, all shorter than 0.5 mm, plants from southwestern United States all glandular, green in appearance when dry. Herbs annual, taprooted, glabrous or sparsely pubescent, hairs simple, appressed, to 0.5 mm.
Stems

erect, branching at most nodes, branches spreading, 0.5–8 dm.

erect, branching at most nodes, branches spreading, 1.5–5(–20) dm.

Leaves

petiolate;

petiole 1/5 to as long as blade;

blade broadly ovate to orbiculate, (1.6–)2.5–8(–9.5) × (1–)2–7 cm, base rounded to slightly cordate, margins entire or coarsely dentate, teeth fewer than 8 per side.

petiolate;

petiole 2/3 to as long as blade;

blade broadly ovate to orbiculate, 4.5–8.5 × 3.5–7.5 cm, base rounded to truncate or cordate, margins coarsely dentate, teeth 10+ per side.

Pedicels

slender, 3.5–9 mm, 5–15 mm in fruit.

(4.5–)6–11 mm, (10–)15–35 mm in fruit.

Flowers

calyx 3–6(–7) mm, lobes 1–3.5 mm;

corolla yellow with 5 large, dark purple-brown-black spots, campanulate-rotate, 6–11 mm;

anthers blue, rarely yellow or blue-tinged, not twisted after dehiscence, 1–2 mm.

calyx 3.5–6.5 mm, lobes lanceolate, 2–4.5 mm;

corolla yellow with 5 large purple-brown-black spots, campanulate-rotate, 6.5–9.5 mm;

anthers blue or blue-tinged, not twisted after dehiscence, 1.5–2.5 mm.

Fruiting calyces

loosely enclosing berry, sharply 5-angled, 20–35 × 15–25(–30) mm, always noticeably longer than wide.

loosely enclosing berry, sharply 5-angled, (25–)30–40 × 20–30 mm.

2n

= 24.

= 24.

Physalis pubescens

Physalis cordata

Phenology Flowering year-round in areas without frost, mostly May–Oct. Flowering Jul–Oct.
Habitat Low woods, edges of swamps, stream banks, floodplains, hammocks, disturbed habitats. Sandy or clay soils, along streams, pine woods, disturbed habitats.
Elevation 0–900 m. [0–3000 ft.] 0–100 m. [0–300 ft.]
Distribution
from FNA
AL; AR; AZ; CA; DC; FL; GA; IA; IL; IN; KS; KY; LA; MD; MI; MO; MS; NC; NJ; NM; OH; OK; PA; SC; TN; TX; UT; VA; WI; WV; Mexico; Central America; South America; West Indies [Introduced in Australia]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AL; AR; FL; GA; LA; MO; MS; NC; OK; SC; TN; TX; Mexico; Central America; West Indies; Bermuda; South America (to Brazil) [Introduced in Asia]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Fresh plants of Physalis pubescens reportedly have a strong fetid odor (M. Martínez 1998). This widespread species exhibits considerable variability in the character of the leaf margins and degree of indument. The fruits of P. pubescens are reportedly gathered for food.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Herbarium specimens of Physalis cordata often consist of only the distal portions of the plants, with label data stating that they are quite tall. The upper limit in this description is taken from M. Martínez (1998).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 14. FNA vol. 14.
Parent taxa Solanaceae > Physalis Solanaceae > Physalis
Sibling taxa
P. acutifolia, P. angulata, P. angustifolia, P. arenicola, P. caudella, P. cinerascens, P. cordata, P. crassifolia, P. fendleri, P. grisea, P. hederifolia, P. heterophylla, P. lanceolata, P. longifolia, P. missouriensis, P. mollis, P. neomexicana, P. philadelphica, P. pumila, P. solanacea, P. virginiana, P. walteri, P. ×elliottii
P. acutifolia, P. angulata, P. angustifolia, P. arenicola, P. caudella, P. cinerascens, P. crassifolia, P. fendleri, P. grisea, P. hederifolia, P. heterophylla, P. lanceolata, P. longifolia, P. missouriensis, P. mollis, P. neomexicana, P. philadelphica, P. pubescens, P. pumila, P. solanacea, P. virginiana, P. walteri, P. ×elliottii
Synonyms P. barbadensis, P. barbadensis var. glabra, P. floridana, P. latiphysa, P. pubescens var. glabra, P. pubescens var. integrifolia, P. turbinata
Name authority Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 183. (1753) Miller: Gard. Dict. ed. 8, Physalis no. 14. (1768)
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