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Physalis angulata

L. (1753)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Eudicot-Asterids Order: Solanales Family: Solanaceae Genus: Physalis

groundcherry, groundcherry, husk tomato, husk tomato

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Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Annual herbs.

Stems: Stems angled, often up to 50 cm long, with intraxylary phloem. sparsely pubescent with minute simple hairs concentrated on young tips and buds and on main veins below, later glabrate.

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Alternate. Blades ovate to elliptic, on vigorous shoots up to 10 cm long, more often ca. 5 cm long, 2–2.5 cm wide. Apex acute to acuminate. Base cuneate to rounded, often oblique. Surfaces sparsely pubescent to glabrate. Margins entire or with a few shallow teeth, these occasionally well–developed, up to 5 mm long. Petioles 1–3 cm long. Stipules absent.

Flowers: Flowers solitary in the leaf axils or stem forks, subpendulous, pedicels slender, 5 mm long at anthesis. Flowers bisexual (perfect), solitary in the leaf axils or stem forks, pedicellate. Calyx 5-lobed, not prominently angular, bell-shaped, connate in lower ⅔, ca.2.5 mm long including lobes, these broadly triangular, ca. 1 mm long, greatly enlarging in fruit. Corolla pale yellow, with a diffuse brownish spot at base, rotate, ca. 15 mm in diameter. Stamens 5; filaments inserted near base of corolla tube; anthers oblong, opening by slits. Ovary superior, 2-celled, placentation axile; ovules numerous on an enlarged placenta; style 1, 4–5 mm long, erect.

Fruit: Berries pale yellow; succulent; globose; 9–12 mm in diameter; enclosed in the inflated papery calyx tube; pedicels 1–2 cm long; drooping. Seeds numerous; discoid; ca. 1 mm long; minutely shallowly reticulate; lenticular.

Ploidy: 2n = 24; 48; 50

Habitat: Disturbed sites.

Elevation Range:

Historical Distribution

Images

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Synonyms (39)

Boberella angulata (L.) E.H.L.Krause (1903)
Nicandra indica (Lam.) Roem. & Schult. (1819)
Physalis abyssinica Nees (1831)
Physalis angulata f. linkiana (Nees) Stehlé (1962)
Physalis angulata f. ramosissima (Mill.) Stehlé (1962)
Physalis angulata f. tenuis Hassl. (1909)
Physalis angulata var. capsicifolia (Dunal) Griseb. (1857)
Physalis angulata var. dubia Kuntze (1891)
Physalis angulata var. lanceifolia (Nees) Waterf. (1958)
Physalis angulata var. linkiana (Nees) A.Gray (1874)
Physalis angulata var. normalis Kuntze (1891)
Physalis angulata var. pendula (Rydb.) Waterf. (1958)
Physalis angulata var. ramosissima (Mill.) O.E.Schulz (1909)
Physalis angulata var. villosa Bonati (1915)
Physalis arenaria Nees (1831)
Physalis bodinieri H.Lév. & Vaniot (1908)
Physalis capsicifolia Dunal (1852)
Physalis ciliata Siebold & Zucc. (1846)
Physalis cuneata Rusby (1920)
Physalis dubia Link (1821)
Physalis esquirolii H.Lév. & Vaniot (1908)
Physalis fauriei H.Lév. & Vaniot (1908)
Physalis glaberrima Colla (1835)
Physalis hermannii Dunal (1852)
Physalis ixocarpa Nees (1831)
Physalis lanceeifolia
Physalis lanceifolia Nees (1831)
Physalis linkiana Nees (1831)
Physalis linkiana var. arenaria Dunal (1852)
Physalis linkiana var. venosa Dunal (1852)
Physalis margaranthoides Rusby (1899)
Physalis micrantha Link (1821)
Physalis minima L. (1753)
Physalis parviflora R.Br. (1810)
Physalis pendula Rydb. (1903)
Physalis ramosissima Mill. (1768)
Physalis repens Nakai (1915)
Physalis surinamensis Miq. (1845)
Saracha angulata M.Martens & Galeotti (1845)

Uses and Culture

USES

Natural History

Statewide Status

Naturalized

Island Status

Kaua'i Naturalized
O'ahu Naturalized
Molokai Naturalized
Lana'i Naturalized
Maui Potentially naturalizing
Hawai'i Naturalized

Dispersal Agents


Pollinators

Bibliography

Name Published In: Sp. Pl.: 183 (1753)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:1265 (K [as P. angulata]); Wagner & Herbst 1995:26 (NEWNAT/EM, DESCR [as P. lanceifolia]); Imada et al. 2000:15 (O [P. angulata]); Oppenheimer 2003:26 (H [P. angulata]); Staples et al. 2006:8 (Mo [as P. angulata]); Oppenheimer 2013:19 (L [as P. angulata]); Pretz & Deanna 2020:172 (Syn. P. lanceifolia = P. angulata)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Physalis angulata West of Kaunakakai, near Umipaa. Weed along unpaved road in degraded wet land with Prosopis, Rhizophora, and Batis. Preserved_Specimen Oppenheimer, H.L. 31103 Molokai BISH 2011-03-09
2 Physalis angulata S Hilo District, Waiakea Stream In alien dominated, rocky streambed. Preserved_Specimen Oppenheimer, H.L. 80106 Hawaii BISH 2001-08-02
3 Physalis angulata Kawainui Marsh, off Kapaa Quarry Road by airplane field and canal Soft mucky soil, medium to large stones, and non-degradable garbage. Heavily mowed and herbicided area left of airplane field. Preserved_Specimen Crago, L.M. 2005023 Oahu BISH 2005-01-21
4 Physalis angulata Waimanalo, UH experiment station Weedy. Preserved_Specimen Heu, R. Oahu BISH 1999-01-14
5 Physalis angulata Former Naval Air Station Barbers Point, Northern Trap & Skeet Range In recently burned open area, growing with Cenchrus ciliaris, Euphorbia hirta (779254), Macroptilium lathyroides, Ophioglossum polyphyllum (779256), Eragrostis pectinacea (779255), and Vachellia farnesiana. Preserved_Specimen BISH staff 38 Oahu BISH 2021-04-30
6 Physalis angulata Former Naval Air Station Barbers Point, Northern Trap & Skeet Range, Outplanting site With Panicum maximum, Sicyos pachycarpus (779238), Asystasia gangetica, and Verbesina encelioides. Under Prosopis pallida. Preserved_Specimen BISH staff 18 Oahu BISH 2021-04-29
7 Physalis angulata East Maui, Kokomo pasture Preserved_Specimen Hobdy, R.W. 2458 Maui BISH 1985-11-17
8 Physalis angulata Molokai Open pasture Preserved_Specimen Caraway, V. 150 Molokai BISH 1997-02-01
9 Physalis angulata North side rim of Maunalei Gulch, south of Keomuku Rd., Hinuhinu Pali. Naturalized on rocky soil in degraded Dodonaea Dry Shrubland. Preserved_Specimen Oppenheimer, H.L. 21109 Lanai BISH 2011-02-16
10 Physalis angulata Kaluakoi District, along Hwy 46 at Mahana Preserved_Specimen Herbst, D.R. 9822 Molokai BISH 1997-04-17
11 Physalis angulata Princeville at Hanalei, roadside lookout onto Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge Preserved_Specimen Wagner, W.L. 5172 Kauai BISH 1983-12-21
12 Physalis angulata Mokuauia Islet, Oahu in center of island Preserved_Specimen Starr, F. 5022222 Oahu BISH 2007-02-22
13 Physalis angulata Kawaihau District, land of Waipoke Preserved_Specimen Herbst, D.R. 5664 Kauai BISH 1976-02-23
14 Physalis angulata Kawaihau District, land of Waipake Preserved_Specimen Herbst, D.R. 5664 Kauai BISH 1976-02-23
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