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- ›Vascular Plants
- ›flowering plants
- ›Dicots
- ›nightshades, bindweeds, gooseweeds, and allies
- ›nightshade family
- ›nightshades and allies
- ›groundcherries, lanterns, and allies
groundcherries
Physalis
Physalis (, , , , from Ancient Greek: φυσαλλίς phusallís 'bladder') is a genus of approximately 75 to 90 flowering plants in the nightshade family (Solanaceae), which are native to the Americas and Australasia. At least 46 species are endemic to Mexico. Cultivated and weedy species have been introduced worldwide. A defining feature of Physalis is a large, papery husk derived from the calyx, which partly or fully encloses the fruit. Many species bear edible fruit, and some species are cultivated.
The typical Physalis fruit is similar to a firm tomato in texture, and like a sweet, tangy grape in flavor. Some species, such as the Cape gooseberry and tomatillo, have been bred into many cultivars with varying flavors, from tart to sweet to savory. Nations including Colombia, India, and Mexico have a significant economic trade in Physalis fruit. The fruits of many species are generically referred to as physalis, groundcherries, husk tomatoes, husk cherries, poha berries, and golden berries.
60 branches of this genus, most-observed first
cutleaf groundcherry
speciesPhysalis angulata
long-leaved groundcherry
speciesPhysalis longifolia
Cape gooseberry
speciesPhysalis peruviana
clammy groundcherry
speciesPhysalis heterophylla
Thickleaf Groundcherry
speciesPhysalis crassifolia
smallflower groundcherry
speciesPhysalis cinerascens
Large-flowered Tomatillo
speciesPhysalis philadelphica
dune groundcherry
speciesPhysalis walteri
Virginia groundcherry
speciesPhysalis virginiana
hairy groundcherry
speciesPhysalis pubescens
grape groundcherry
speciesPhysalis viscosa
Strawberry Groundcherry
speciesPhysalis grisea
ivyleaf groundcherry
speciesPhysalis hederifolia
Coastal groundcherry
speciesPhysalis angustifolia
Sharpleaf groundcherry
speciesPhysalis acutifolia
field groundcherry
speciesPhysalis mollis
cypresshead groundcherry
speciesPhysalis arenicola
New Mexican groundcherry
speciesPhysalis neomexicana
Physalis nicandroides
speciesPhysalis nicandroides
Physalis × elliottii
hybridPhysalis × elliottii
Dwarf groundcherry
speciesPhysalis pumila
Netted Globecherry
speciesPhysalis solanacea
strawberry tomato
speciesPhysalis pruinosa
cotztomatl
speciesPhysalis coztomatl
Physalis chenopodiifolia
speciesPhysalis chenopodiifolia
Physalis glabra
speciesPhysalis glabra
Fendler's Groundcherry
speciesPhysalis fendleri
heart leaf groundcherry
speciesPhysalis cordata
Tomatillo
speciesPhysalis ixocarpa
Physalis patula
speciesPhysalis patula
sword groundcherry
speciesPhysalis lanceolata
Physalis purpurea
speciesPhysalis purpurea
Southwestern Groundcherry
speciesPhysalis caudella
Physalis orizabae
speciesPhysalis orizabae
Physalis ampla
speciesPhysalis ampla
Physalis ignota
speciesPhysalis ignota
Physalis sulphurea
speciesPhysalis sulphurea
Physalis gracilis
speciesPhysalis gracilis
Physalis sordida
speciesPhysalis sordida
Physalis vestita
speciesPhysalis vestita
Missouri groundcherry
speciesPhysalis missouriensis
Physalis leptophylla
speciesPhysalis leptophylla
Physalis lagascae
speciesPhysalis lagascae
Physalis melanocystis
speciesPhysalis melanocystis
Physalis filipendula
speciesPhysalis filipendula
Physalis glutinosa
speciesPhysalis glutinosa
Physalis macrosperma
speciesPhysalis macrosperma
San Diego Groundcherry
speciesPhysalis greenei
Physalis campechiana
speciesPhysalis campechiana
Physalis campanula
speciesPhysalis campanula
Physalis greenmanii
speciesPhysalis greenmanii
Physalis lignescens
speciesPhysalis lignescens
Physalis arborescens
speciesPhysalis arborescens
Physalis minuta
speciesPhysalis minuta
Physalis angustiphysa
speciesPhysalis angustiphysa
Physalis hunzikeriana
speciesPhysalis hunzikeriana
Physalis minimaculata
speciesPhysalis minimaculata
Physalis hintonii
speciesPhysalis hintonii
Physalis longiloba
speciesPhysalis longiloba
Physalis aggregata
speciesPhysalis aggregata
Where it lives
Recorded sightings
—
geo-referenced records in GBIF, from museums, herbaria and field observers.
Drag the globe to turn it. Dots are where records exist, not a range map; darker means more records.
In the old herbals & bestiaries
History of the Plants of New Spain, Volume 3
Francisco Hernández (1517-1587) · 1946 · p.19
Notable Commentaries on the History of Plants
Leonhart Fuchs · 1549 · p.719
Book of Herbs
Hieronymus Bock (Tragus) · 1546 · p.261
Latin Herbal with German Synonyms
1484 · p.57
Herbarius latinus (with Dutch synonyms)
1486 · p.25
The Book of Health: The Art of Distillation
Brunschwig, Hieronymus · 1505 · p.161
The Great Herbary with all the figures of the herbs
1532 · p.37
Notable Commentaries on the History of Plants
Leonhart Fuchs · 1542 · p.721
On the Names of Plants
Hieronymus Bock (Tragus) · 1552 · p.374
History of Plants in Four Books
Valerius Cordus · 1561 · p.352
Discourses on the Six Books of Dioscorides
Dioscorides; Pietro Andrea Mattioli (comm.) · 1568 · p.1308
Medical and Philosophical Garden
Joachim Camerarius · 1588 · p.361
In the stacks
Searching the stacks…
Every page naming Physalis in the Biodiversity Heritage Library →
This page is assembled live from iNaturalist, GBIF, Wikipedia, the Source Library and the Internet Archive. It is not yet part of the hand-edited codex. iNaturalist taxon 51733.