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cock's eggs, lily of the valley vine, pampas lily-of-the-valley

Habit Herbs with strong odor, (0.2–)0.4–3(–5) m, root sometimes fleshy.
Stems

± lignified, usually 1–2(–4)-winged, turning dark when dry.

Leaves

petiole shorter than blade;

blade ovate-rhombic to suborbiculate, 1.5–4(–6) × 1.5–4(–5) cm, fleshy.

Pedicels

pendent, slender.

Flowers

calyx 2–3.5 mm, incised nearly to base;

corolla 3.5–10 mm, inside with dense, wooly, annular band of hairs;

stamens not exserted, connivent.

Berries

pale yellowish white, nearly translucent.

2n

= 24.

Salpichroa origanifolia

Phenology Flowering Mar–Jul.
Habitat Cultivated fields, waste ground.
Elevation 0–2000 m. (0–6600 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
AL; AZ; CA; FL; GA; LA; MS; NC; SC; TX; VA; South America (Argentina, se Bolivia, s Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay) [Introduced in North America; introduced also in w, s Europe (England, France, Italy, Portugal, Spain), Africa (Algeria, Egypt), Australia]
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[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Salpichroa origanifolia can escape cultivation and persist for short periods. The rhizomes are a source of alkaloids (W. C. Evans et al. 1972), and whole plants (growing in Argentina) are a source of withanolides.

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

Source FNA vol. 14.
Parent taxa Solanaceae > Salpichroa
Synonyms Physalis origanifolia, Perizoma rhomboidea, S. rhomboidea
Name authority (Lamarck) Thellung: Fl. Advent. Montpellier, 452. (1912)
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