Common Name:

General Information

Physalis orizabae is an erect to spreading, herbaceous perennial plant, branching from the base and with rhizomes around 30cm long[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and a medicine
Physalis orizabae 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(2017)[].

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 southern Mexico; C. America - Honduras

Habitat

On slopes and margins of disturbed oak forests and adjacent clearings of pine-oak forests, secondary
grasslands, and subtropical scrub; at elevations from 1,850 - 2,700 metres[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.00 m

Cultivation Details

Physalis orizabae is a plant of the wet tropics

Edible Uses

Fruit[]. The globose fruit is around 10 - 12mm in diameter, containing numerous small seeds[].

Medicinal

The plant is used medicinally[].

Other Uses

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

Propagation

Seed -

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