Physalis lancifolia Nees
Family: Solanaceae

Pertinent Synonyms & Notes (particularly those used in California; go to GRIN for other synonyms)

Physalis angulata L. var. lancifolia (Nees) Waterf.

Otherwise, P. angulata L. has been misapplied to California plants.

Pertinent Common Names (particularly those used in California; go to GRIN for other common names)

cutleaf groundcherry

Primary Disseminule Types

fruit with attached calyx (not likely to be dispersed directly to grape bunches), seed

Description (diagnostics are in brown)

Disseminule a yellowish to orange or purple berry enclosed in a papery husk (enlarged calyx) with numerous seeds. Husk loose, ovoid, 20–25 mm long, green with 10 darker, ribbed veins.

Seed ± obovate to reniform in outline, typically notched along margin where hilum occurs, strongly compressed, cross-section narrowly elliptic, 1.5–2 mm long x 1.2–1.6 mm wide x (0.2)0.5–0.7 mm thick. Surface sparkly under magnification, may be dull or rough when dried bits of pericarp remain; otherwise, surface is a maze of minute undulating ridges, yellowish.

Hilum marginal, in notch, linear to elliptic to oval or ovate, ± sunken especially at the larger end of the scar, ± same color as testa or whitish, 0.2–0.5 mm long.

Similar Species

Compare to Similar Species of Lycium & Physalis and Similar Species of Solanum.

Risk Assessment (codes in yellow or red indicate cause for concern; assessments are current as of mid-2011; click AUQP, NZBORIC, or NZBPI for access to the most recent versions of these databases and possible assessment changes)

AUQP, NZBORIC, NZBPI