Physalis pubescens
Physalis hederifolia
hairy ground-cherry, husk tomato
ivy leafed tomatillo, ivyleaf groundcherry
erect, branching at most nodes, branches spreading, 0.5–8 dm.
erect to decumbent, usually branching from base and at most nodes, branches spreading, 0.5–3 dm.
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 1/2 to ± as long as blade;
blade broadly ovate to orbiculate, 1.5–3.5 × 1–3 cm, base cordate to rounded, margins ± entire or coarsely dentate, teeth sharp to blunt.
slender, 3.5–9 mm, 5–15 mm in fruit.
4–8(–13) mm, 5–15 mm in fruit.
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 5–7(–10) mm, lobes 1.5–3.5(–5) mm;
corolla yellow with 5 dark brown spots, campanulate-rotate, 7–12 mm;
anthers yellow, not twisted after dehiscence, 2–4 mm.
loosely enclosing berry, sharply 5-angled, 20–35 × 15–25(–30) mm, always noticeably longer than wide.
loosely enclosing berry, 10-ribbed, 20–30 × 15–25(–30) mm.
= 24.
= 24.
Physalis pubescens
Physalis hederifolia
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.)
In Physalis hederifolia, the corolla limb is reflexed at maturity. This is a widespread species of the southwestern United States and the Great Plains (as far west as southern California and southeastern Nevada, and east into the western half of Iowa, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Texas). Several varieties have been recognized based primarily on indument characters, but these features vary considerably over the range of the species. Plants from the more southern part of the range tend to have shorter hairs and to be more densely glandular; plants from northern Oklahoma and New Mexico northward tend to have longer hairs. All are clearly distinguishable from P. fendleri, which is eglandular, typically has forked or few-branched hairs, a distinctive leaf shape, and corollas with greenish-brownish smudges rather than distinct brown spots.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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