Common Name:

General Information

Physalis chenopodiifolia is an erect, perennial plant growing up to 70cm tall[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine.
Physalis chenopodiifolia has a wide distribution, is common and there are no known major threats affecting its population. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2020)[].

Known Hazards

The unripe fruits and foliage of Physalis species contain solanine and other solanidine alkaloids and are toxic if ingested in large quantities. The ripe fruiys are usually edible, and several species are cultivated for these fruits[].

Botanical References

Range

Southern N. America - central and northern Mexico

Habitat

Open sites or pine-oak margins, around crops or roads, and hillsides with woody vegetation or in secondary grasslands; at elevations from 1,800 - 3,100 metres[, ].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.60 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Physalis chenopodiifolia is a plant of the seasonally dry tropics.

A highly variable species[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw or cooked[, ]. The green or purple-tinged, round fruit is about 13mm in diameter with numerous small seeds[].

Medicinal

Roots, stems, and fruiting calyces are used in traditional medicine[].

Other Uses

Physalis chenopodiifolia is a wild relative of, and potential gene donor to Cape gooseberry (Physalis peruviana), low ground-cherry Physalis pubescens) and tomatillo (Physalis ixocarpa[].

Propagation

Seed -

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