Physalis ixocarpa Brot. ex Hornem.

Flora Zambesiaca. Vol. 8, Part 4. Solanaceae. Gonçalves AE. 2005

Morphology General

Erect, occasionally spreading or trailing, weak to ± robust, ± dichotomously branched, annual herb, (7)20–65 cm high (elsewhere said to reach 1. 3 m), yellowish-green or green, sometimes tinged purple, ± sparsely clothed with simple, ± appressed to patent, eglandular, occasionally short and minute, glandular hairs, also relatively long glandular hairs, furnished with ± sessile glands too

Morphology Branches

Branches subterete or angular, striate, drying ± sulcate, ± scabrous-pubescent or subglabrous Branches subterete or angular, striate, drying ± sulcate, ± scabrous-pubescent or subglabrous.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves usually solitary; petiole (0.3)1–4(4.5) cm long, often slightly winged, rather sheathing at the base; lamina membranous or ± fleshy, (1)2–11 × (0.5)1–5.5 cm, ovate or ovate-lanceolate, occasionally ovate-deltate, rhombic, elliptic or oblong, base obtuse, cuneate or attenuate, and often unequal-sided or dimidiate, decurrent into the petiole, apex acute, occasionally sub-acute or ± acuminate, sinuate-dentate or dentate, the teeth unequal, rather obtuse or rarely sub-acute, the sinuses ± deep, obtuse, glabrous except where decurrent on the petiole, sometimes with a few, often short, appressed hairs on the nerves and near the margins, occasionally scattered elsewhere Leaves usually solitary; petiole (0.3)1–4(4.5) cm long, often slightly winged, rather sheathing at the base; lamina membranous or ± fleshy, (1)2–11 × (0.5)1–5.5 cm, ovate or ovate-lanceolate, occasionally ovate-deltate, rhombic, elliptic or oblong, base obtuse, cuneate or attenuate, and often unequal-sided or dimidiate, decurrent into the petiole, apex acute, occasionally sub-acute or ± acuminate, sinuate-dentate or dentate, the teeth unequal, rather obtuse or rarely sub-acute, the sinuses ± deep, obtuse, glabrous except where decurrent on the petiole, sometimes with a few, often short, appressed hairs on the nerves and near the margins, occasionally scattered elsewhere.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers solitary, axillary, erect to pendulous. Flowers solitary, axillary, erect to pendulous; pedicel greenish or violaceous, (3)4–6(7) mm long, ± hairy and glandular, in fruit elongating to 8(10) mm.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel

Pedicel greenish or violaceous, (3)4–6(7) mm long, ± hairy and glandular, in fruit elongating to 8(10) mm

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx (3.5)4–5.5(6) mm long, 2.5–3.5 mm across at the base of the lobes, campanulate, sub-angled or ribbed, truncate or invaginated at the base, puberulous mostly along the nerves, usually furnished also with ± sessile glands, more abundant towards the base, on the inside glabrous except for the lobes with ± dense, minute indumentum especially towards the apex and near the margins; lobes unequal or subequal, 0.8–2 × 0.6–1. 8 mm, ± triangular, obtuse or ± acute, occasionally bluntly acuminate; in fruit green or yellowish-green, sometimes purple towards the base or also with purple venation, 18–32 × (15)17–25 mm, ovoid or subglobose, ± terete or rather ribbed, sub-acute or bluntly sub-acuminate, half to three-quarters filled by the fruit, ± glabrescent, the lobes 2.4–4 × 2–3.5 mm Calyx (3.5)4–5.5(6) mm long, 2.5–3.5 mm across at the base of the lobes, campanulate, sub-angled or ribbed, truncate or invaginated at the base, puberulous mostly along the nerves, usually furnished also with ± sessile glands, more abundant towards the base, on the inside glabrous except for the lobes with ± dense, minute indumentum especially towards the apex and near the margins; lobes unequal or subequal, 0.8–2 × 0.6–1.8 mm, ± triangular, obtuse or ± acute, occasionally bluntly acuminate; in fruit green or yellowish-green, sometimes purple towards the base or also with purple venation, 18–32 × (15)17–25 mm, ovoid or subglobose, ± terete or rather ribbed, sub-acute or bluntly sub-acuminate, half to three-quarters filled by the fruit, ± glabrescent, the lobes 2.4–4 × 2–3.5 mm.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens usually exserted, subequal; filaments violaceous, (1)1. 2–2.5 mm long, filiform, attached to the corolla tube near the base, sometimes furnished with a few hairs; anthers violaceous or bluish-violet, (1)1. 2–1. 7(2) mm long, ovate-oblong to elliptic in outline, straight or slightly bent after anthesis Stamens usually exserted, subequal; filaments violaceous, (1)1.2–2.5 mm long, filiform, attached to the corolla tube near the base, sometimes furnished with a few hairs; anthers violaceous or bluish-violet, (1)1.2–1.7(2) mm long, ovate-oblong to elliptic in outline, straight or slightly bent after anthesis.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Disc

Disk 0.1–0.2 mm high, fleshy, glabrous Disk 0.1–0.2 mm high, fleshy, glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary 1. 2–2 × 0.8–1. 5 mm, ovoid or subglobose, glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Style greenish-blue, (1)1. 5–2.5(3) mm long, filiform, straight or curved upwards

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit green to yellowish, pale violet or violaceous, viscid, ± sessile on the invaginated base of the erect to pendulous calyx, 10–13 mm in diameter, subglobose Fruit green to yellowish, pale violet or violaceous, viscid, ± sessile on the invaginated base of the erect to pendulous calyx, 10–13 mm in diameter, subglobose.

Note

Chromosome number: 2n=24 Common name: “Wild Cape Gooseberry”.

Ecology

Cleared bushland, seasonally flooded grassland and cultivated ground, on roadsides and anthills, sometimes as a weed of cultivation; up to 1400 m.

Distribution

Botswana. Zimbabwe BOT SE, ZAM C, ZAM S, ZIM W, ZIM C, ZIM E, ZIM S Origin unknown, naturalized in Portugal and probably also in Holland and Australia. In Africa recorded also from Dem. Rep. Congo. Zambia

Morphology General Habit

Erect, occasionally spreading or trailing, weak to ± robust, ± dichotomously branched, annual herb, (7)20–65 cm high (elsewhere said to reach 1.3 m), yellowish-green or green, sometimes tinged purple, ± sparsely clothed with simple, ± appressed to patent, eglandular, occasionally short and minute, glandular hairs, also relatively long glandular hairs, furnished with ± sessile glands too.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla yellow or greenish-yellow, blotched with 5 dark brownish violet or purplish markings strongly contrasting with the surrounding limb, sometimes spreading downwards and somewhat along the nerves upwards, 4–7(8) mm long, rotate; tube subglabrous, furnished with few ± sessile glands, on the inside with felted indumentum near the insertion of the stamens and with a ring of hyaline hairs at the mouth; limb (5)6–9 mm across, shortly 5-lobed, erect to widely spreading, sometimes reflexed when fully expanded, on the outside with ± appressed, short hairs and also sessile glands often along the nerves, on the median region of each lobe on the part not folded in bud, glabrous inside except for the lobes with minute hairs towards the apex, slightly ciliate. Corolla yellow or greenish-yellow, blotched with 5 dark brownish violet or purplish markings strongly contrasting with the surrounding limb, sometimes spreading downwards and somewhat along the nerves upwards, 4–7(8) mm long, rotate; tube subglabrous, furnished with few ± sessile glands, on the inside with felted indumentum near the insertion of the stamens and with a ring of hyaline hairs at the mouth; limb (5)6–9 mm across, shortly 5-lobed, erect to widely spreading, sometimes reflexed when fully expanded, on the outside with ± appressed, short hairs and also sessile glands often along the nerves, on the median region of each lobe on the part not folded in bud, glabrous inside except for the lobes with minute hairs towards the apex, slightly ciliate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary 1.2–2 × 0.8–1.5 mm, ovoid or subglobose, glabrous; style greenish-blue, (1)1.5–2.5(3) mm long, filiform, straight or curved upwards.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds whitish to yellowish, 1.7–2.2 × 1.5–1.7 mm, elliptic or ± orbicular in outline, sometimes reniform, reticulate-foveolate. Seeds whitish to yellowish, 1. 7–2.2 × 1. 5–1. 7 mm, elliptic or ± orbicular in outline, sometimes reniform, reticulate-foveolate

Cytology

Chromosome number: 2n=24.