- Family:
- Solanaceae Juss.
- Genus:
- Physalis L.
Physalis philadelphica Lam.

[FZ]
Flora Zambesiaca. Vol. 8, Part 4. Solanaceae. Gonçalves AE. 2005
- Morphology General
- Erect, weak to sometimes ± robust, ± dichotomously branched, annual (or short-lived perennial) herb, said to reach 1. 3 m high, usually less in the Flora Zambesiaca area, ± sparsely clothed with simple, appressed to patent, eglandular and sometimes short and minute glandular hairs, more abundant especially on young parts, and occasionally also relatively long glandular hairs, furnished with ± sessile glands too
- Morphology Branches
- Branches subterete or angular, drying ± sulcate, with mostly short and minute, ± appressed and spreading hairs
- Morphology Leaves
- Leaves solitary, sometimes tinged violet; petiole (0.2)1–4.5(5.5) cm long, slightly winged, rather sheathing at the base; lamina membranous, (1)2–6.5 × (0.5)1–3.5 cm, ovate to lanceolate, occasionally elliptic or rhombic, base obtuse, cuneate or attenuate, and often oblique to dimidiate, ± decurrent into the petiole, apex acute or ± acuminate, repand to coarsely sinuate-dentate or rather dentate, the teeth often unequal, ± triangular, obtuse, the sinuses rounded, occasionally entire, sparsely ciliate but otherwise ± glabrous (or elsewhere sparsely pubescent)
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
- Flowers solitary, axillary, erect to pendulous.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel
- Pedicel violaceous, 2–5 mm long, hairy and glandular, in fruit elongated to 6(8) mm
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
- Calyx (4)5–7(8) mm long, 4–6(7) mm across at the base of the lobes, broadly campanulate, sub-angled, truncate or invaginated at the base, sparsely pubescent with multicellular, spreading, sometimes glandular hairs, mostly on the angles, or subglabrous, on the inside glabrous except for the lobes with ± dense minute indumentum sometimes only near the apex and the margins; lobes unequal, 1. 5–3.5 × 2–4 mm, ± triangular or ovate, obtuse or ± acute, sometimes sub-acuminate; in fruit green or yellowish-green, often with purple venation, 25–35 × 20–30 mm, ovoid, ± terete or slightly 5(or 10)-angled and somewhat 10-ribbed, sub-acute or bluntly sub-acuminate, often nearly or well-filled by the fruit, the lobes 4–7 × 2.5–5 mm
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
- Corolla yellow, blotched with 5 dark violaceous or brownish markings strongly contrasting with the surrounding limb, continued by veins along the lobes, 10–15 mm long, ± rotate or broadly campanulate; tube subglabrous, furnished with ± sessile glands, on the inside with dense felted indumentum especially near the insertion of the stamens, continued by shorter and less dense hairs to near the mouth; limb 10–20 mm across, 5-lobed to subentire, erect to widely spreading, sometimes reflexed when fully expanded, on the outside with sparse, short hairs and ± sessile glands, ± glabrous inside, ciliate
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
- Stamens usually exserted, unequal; filaments violaceous, 3.5–5 mm long, filiform, attached to the corolla tube near the base, sometimes furnished with a few hairs; anthers purplish, violaceous to blue, or yellowish with bluish border, 2.5–4 mm long, ovate-oblong to elliptic in outline, usually curved or ± twisted after anthesis
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Disc
- Disk 0.1 mm high, fleshy, glabrous
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
- Ovary 1. 5–1. 8 × 1. 4–1. 7 mm, ovoid or ± globose, glabrous.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
- Style 7–8 mm long, filiform, straight or curved upwards
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
- Fruit green to dark violet or purple, sometimes yellow or yellowish, sessile on the invaginated base of the drooping to pendulous calyx, c. 15 mm (elsewhere said to reach 60 mm) diameter, ± globose, oily or viscid
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
- Seeds yellowish, 2.2–2.6 × 1. 8–2.1 mm, elliptic or ± orbicular in outline, sometimes reniform, reticulate-foveate
- Note
- Chromosome number: 2n=24 Common name: “Japanese Gooseberry” or “Tomatillo”. Cultivated mainly for its edible fruits and occurring as an escape or as a weed of cultivation; sometimes locally naturalized in Europe and Africa.
- Distribution
- ZAM C, ZAM S, ZIM E, ZIM C Native to North America (United States and Mexico), now extending northwards to Canada and southwards throughout Central America and the Antilles to South America (Galapagos). Zambia Zimbabwe
[FTEA]
Solanaceae, Jennifer M Edmonds. Oliganthes, Melongena & Monodolichopus, Maria S. Vorontsova & Sandra Knapp. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 2012
- Type
- Type: cultivated “Jardin du Roi “, France, originally from North America, 1784 (P-LAM, holo.; fiche LM 471/5!)
- Morphology General Habit
- Annual herb < 0.5 m high.
- Morphology Stem
- Stems brownish-green or purple-tinged, sometimes woody and/or angular, sparsely to moderately pilose with simple hairs, glabrescent
- Morphology Leaves
- Leaves membranaceous, green to greyish-green, lanceolate, ovate-lanceolate to deltate, 2.8–5.6(–10) × 1.2–3.2(–5.2) cm, bases cuneate, often oblique, sometimes decurrent, margins sinuate-dentate with 2–9 acute antrorse lobes, rarely sinuate, apices acute, pilose (sometimes denser on veins, midribs and lower surfaces) to glabrous, stipulate; petioles (0.6–)1.5–4.5 cm
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
- Flowers solitary, axillary; pedicels erect in flower and recurved in fruit, 3–8 mm long, sparsely pilose, 8–11 mm long
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
- Calyx cupulate/campanulate, 3–4(?–7) mm long with five broadly triangular acute lobes 1.5–3 × 1.6–2.4(–4) mm with ciliate margins, sparsely pilose to glabrous externally, enlarged and persistent in fruit with connivent lobes 4–5 × 5–6 mm
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
- Corolla yellow to orange-yellow with pale or sepia basal spots or blotches and an internal ring of dense long eglandular hairs exposed by recurvature of throat, broadly campanulate, 0.8–1.5 cm long and 1.2–1.8 cm diameter, shortly pubescent externally, margin undulating, ciliate and entire or with 5 short broadly triangular obtuse lobes ± 3 × 4 mm
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
- Stamens often unequal, exserted; filaments free for 3–5 mm; anthers purple and yellow, twisted and/or curved at maturity, oblong, bilobed, 2.8–4.4 × 0.9–1 mm, always exserted, maturing at different times and of different lengths within the same flower
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
- Ovary pale green to brownish, ovoid, 1–2 × 1–2 mm, smooth, glabrous; style exserted up to 2.5 mm, 5.5–9 mm long; stigma 0.3–0.8 mm diameter
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
- Fruit maturing to ?purple, globose, 0.9–1.1(–1.4) cm diameter, smooth, sessile on invaginated pedicel base, enclosed by enlarged and inflated reticulatelyveined globose calyx which 2.2–2.5 cm diameter, the mouth closed by connivent lobes
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
- Seeds 9–11(–16) per berry, yellow to orange, orbicular, 2.1–2.5 × 1.7–2.2 mm, compressed
- Figures
- Fig 15/5–11, p 72
- Ecology
- Weed of gardens, fields and cultivation, especially of crops; occasional to common; 1700–2000 m
- Conservation
- Widespread; least concern (LC)
- Note
- This species is commonly known as the tomate, miltomate or husk tomato; it has been in cultivation since pre-Colombian times and is still widely cultivated as a fruit, though it is rarely eaten raw. Wild and domesticated varieties have been recognised (viz. var. philadelphica and var. domestica – cf. Hudson, 1986) with morphological intermediates being common and the species exhibiting the wide variability characteristic of domesticated plants. The diagnostic features given by Agnew (1994) for P. ixocarpa suggest that the plants described belong to P. philadelphica.
- Distribution
- Flora districts: K3 K4 Range: Native to North America, sporadic weed in Sudan, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa
Native to:
Belize, Cuba, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico Central, Mexico Gulf, Mexico Northeast, Mexico Northwest, Mexico Southeast, Mexico Southwest, Panamá
Introduced into:
Arizona, Belgium, Bulgaria, Central European Rus, Czechoslovakia, Greece, Illinois, Kentucky, Kenya, KwaZulu-Natal, Leeward Is., Manchuria, Morocco, New South Wales, New York, Portugal, Queensland, Spain, Sudan, Turkey, Ukraine, Vermont, Victoria, Western Australia, Wisconsin, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe
- Physalis angulata var. philadelphica (Lam.) A.Gray
- Physalis atriplicifolia Poir.
- Physalis cavaleriei H.Lév.
- Physalis chenopodiifolia Willd.
- Physalis geniculata (M.Martens & Galeotti) Miers
- Physalis laevigata M.Martens & Galeotti
- Physalis megistocarpos Zuccagni
- Physalis mexicana Molina ex Colla
- Physalis ovata Poir.
- Physalis philadelphica var. minor Dunal
- Physalis philadelphica f. pilosa Waterf.
- Physalis violacea Carrière
- Saracha geniculata M.Martens & Galeotti
Physalis philadelphica Lam. appears in other Kew resources:
Date | Reference | Identified As | Barcode | Type Status | Has image? |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pringle, C.G. [6319], Mexico | K000042233 | No | |||
Anthony, A.W. [411], Mexico | K000042236 | No | |||
Gentry, H.S. [2633], Mexico | K000042237 | No | |||
Palmer, E. [2], Mexico | K000042238 | No | |||
Hinton, G.B. [1613], Mexico | K000042239 | No | |||
Gentry, H.S. [1964], Mexico | K000042242 | No | |||
Bourgeau, M. [3694], Mexico | K000042244 | No | |||
Parry, C.C. [640], Mexico | K000042245 | No | |||
Parry, C.C. [646], Mexico | K000042246 | No | |||
Palmer, E. [288], Mexico | K000042248 | No | |||
Balls, E.K. [B4902], Mexico | K000042250 | No | |||
Botteri, M. [842], Mexico | K000042388 | No | |||
Pringle, C.G. [9309], Mexico | K000042234 | No | |||
Palmer, E. [946], Mexico | K000042235 | No | |||
Schaffner, J.G. [701], Mexico | K000042247 | No | |||
Hinton, G.B. [4034], Mexico | K000042240 | No | |||
Bourgeau, M. [1754], Mexico | K000042243 | No | |||
Pringle, C.G. [8446], Mexico | K000042241 | No | |||
Pringle, C.G. [6263], Mexico | K000042251 | No | |||
Hinton, G.B. [11449], Mexico | K000042249 | No |
First published in Encycl. 2: 101 (1786)
Accepted by
- Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & Strong, M.T. (2012). Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies Smithsonian Contributions to Botany 98: 1-1192.
- Castroviejo, S. (ed.) in Castroviejo, S. & al. (eds.) (2012). Flora Iberica 11: 1-672. Real Jardín Botánico, CSIC, Madrid.
- Chadde, S.W. (2019). Wisconsin Flora ed. 2: 1-818. Steve W. Chadde.
- Correa A., Mireya D. Galdames, Carmen Correa A., M. D., C. Galdames & M. S. de Stapf (2004). Catálogo de las Plantas Vasculares de Panamá: 1-599. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute.
- Danihelka, J. Chrtek, J. & Kaplan, Z. (2012). Checklist of vascular plants of the Czech Republic Preslia. Casopsi Ceské Botanické Spolecnosti 84: 647-811.
- Darbyshire, I., Kordofani, M., Farag, I., Candiga, R. & Pickering, H. (eds.) (2015). The Plants of Sudan and South Sudan: 1-400. Kew publishing, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
- Dimopoulos, P., Raus, T., Bergmeier, E., Constantinidis, T., Iatrou, G., Kokkini, S., Strid, A., & Tzanoudakis, D. (2013). Vascular plants of Greece. An annotated checklist: 1-372. Botanic gardens and botanical museum Berlin-Dahlem, Berlin and Hellenic botanical society, Athens.
- Dobignard, A. & Chatelain, C. (2013). Index synonymique de la flore d'Afrique du nord 5: 1-451. Éditions des conservatoire et jardin botaniques, Genève.
- Edmonds, J. (2012). Flora of Tropical East Africa Solanaceae: 1-239.
- Garcia-Mendoza, A.J. & Meave, J.A. (eds.) (2012). Diversidad florística de Oaxaca: de musgos a angiospermas (colecciones y listas de especies), ed. 2: 1-351. Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México.
- Germishuizen, G. & Meyer, N.L. (eds.) (2003). Plants of Southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14.: i-vi, 1-1231. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
- Gilman, A.V. (2015). New flora of Vermont Memoirs of the New York Botanical Garden 110: 1-614.
- Gonçalves, A.E. (2005). Flora Zambesiaca 8(4): 1-124. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
- Goodwin, Z.A. & al. (2013). A checklist of the vascular plants of the lowland savannas of Belize, Central America Phytotaxa 101: 1-119.
- Jones, R.L. (2005). Plant life of Kentucky. An illustrated guide to the vascular flora: 1-833. The universitry press of Kentucky.
- López Patiño, E.J., Szeszko, D.R., Rascala Pérez, J. & Beltrán Retis, A.S. (2012). The flora of the Tenacingo-Malinalco-Zumpahuacán protected natural area, state of Mexico, Mexico Harvard Papers in Botany 17: 65-167.
- Mohlenbrock, R.H. (2014). Vascular Flora of Illinois. A Field Guide, ed. 4: 1-536. Southern Illinois University Press, Carbondale.
- Nelson Sutherland, C.H. (2008). Catálogo de las plantes vasculares de Honduras. Espermatofitas: 1-1576. SERNA/Guaymuras, Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
- Pretz, C. & Deanna, R. (2020). Typifications and nomenclatural notes on Physalis (Solanaceae) from the United States Taxon 69: 170-192.
- Purdie, R.W., Symon, D.E. & Haegi, L. (1982). Flora of Australia 29: 1-208. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.
- Tutin, T.G. & al. (eds.) (1972). Flora Europaea 3: 1-370. Cambridge University Press.
- Villaseñor, J.L. (2016). Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad 87: 559-902.
- Vladimirov, V. & al. (eds.) (2017). New floristic records in the Balkans: 34 Phytologia Balcanica 23: 413-444.
- Werier, D. (2017). Catalogue of the Vascular plants of New York state Memoirs of the Torrey Botanical Club 27: 1-542.
- Wu, Z. & Raven, P.H. (eds.) (1994). Flora of China 17: 1-378. Science Press (Beijing) & Missouri Botanical Garden Press (St. Louis).
Literature
Flora Zambesiaca
- A. de Candolle, Prodr. 13, 1: 450 (1852).
- Bol. Soc. Brot., Sér. 2, 44: 363–365, t. 9 (1970).
- Encycl. Méth. Bot. 2, 1: 101 (1786).
- Garcia de Orta 17: 286 quadro I (1969)
- Rhodora 69: 213 (1967) pro parte excl. syn. P. ixocarpa et P. aequata.
- Ross, Fl. Natal: 308 (1972).
Kew Backbone Distributions
- Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & Strong, M.T. (2012). Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies Smithsonian Contributions to Botany 98: 1-1192.
- Castroviejo, S. (ed.) in Castroviejo, S. & al. (eds.) (2012). Flora Iberica 11: 1-672. Real Jardín Botánico, CSIC, Madrid.
- Chadde, S.W. (2019). Wisconsin Flora ed. 2: 1-818. Steve W. Chadde.
- Correa A., Mireya D. Galdames, Carmen Correa A., M. D., C. Galdames & M. S. de Stapf (2004). Catálogo de las Plantas Vasculares de Panamá: 1-599. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute.
- Danihelka, J. Chrtek, J. & Kaplan, Z. (2012). Checklist of vascular plants of the Czech Republic Preslia. Casopsi Ceské Botanické Spolecnosti 84: 647-811.
- Dimopoulos, P., Raus, T., Bergmeier, E., Constantinidis, T., Iatrou, G., Kokkini, S., Strid, A., & Tzanoudakis, D. (2013). Vascular plants of Greece. An annotated checklist: 1-372. Botanic gardens and botanical museum Berlin-Dahlem, Berlin and Hellenic botanical society, Athens.
- Dobignard, A. & Chatelain, C. (2013). Index synonymique de la flore d'Afrique du nord 5: 1-451. Éditions des conservatoire et jardin botaniques, Genève.
- Edmonds, J. (2012). Flora of Tropical East Africa Solanaceae: 1-239.
- GBIF (2008-2020). Global Biodiversity Information Facility http://www.gbif.org/.
- Garcia-Mendoza, A.J. & Meave, J.A. (eds.) (2012). Diversidad florística de Oaxaca: de musgos a angiospermas (colecciones y listas de especies), ed. 2: 1-351. Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México.
- Germishuizen, G. & Meyer, N.L. (eds.) (2003). Plants of Southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14.: i-vi, 1-1231. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
- Gilman, A.V. (2015). New flora of Vermont Memoirs of the New York Botanical Garden 110: 1-614.
- Goodwin, Z.A. & al. (2013). A checklist of the vascular plants of the lowland savannas of Belize, Central America Phytotaxa 101: 1-119.
- Jones, R.L. (2005). Plant life of Kentucky. An illustrated guide to the vascular flora: 1-833. The universitry press of Kentucky.
- López Patiño, E.J., Szeszko, D.R., Rascala Pérez, J. & Beltrán Retis, A.S. (2012). The flora of the Tenacingo-Malinalco-Zumpahuacán protected natural area, state of Mexico, Mexico Harvard Papers in Botany 17: 65-167.
- Mohlenbrock, R.H. (2014). Vascular Flora of Illinois. A Field Guide, ed. 4: 1-536. Southern Illinois University Press, Carbondale.
- Nelson Sutherland, C.H. (2008). Catálogo de las plantes vasculares de Honduras. Espermatofitas: 1-1576. SERNA/Guaymuras, Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
- Purdie, R.W., Symon, D.E. & Haegi, L. (1982). Flora of Australia 29: 1-208. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.
- Tutin, T.G. & al. (eds.) (1972). Flora Europaea 3: 1-370. Cambridge University Press.
- Verloove, F. (2019). Manual of the Alien Plants of Belgium http://alienplantsbelgium.be.
- Villaseñor, J.L. (2016). Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad 87: 559-902.
- Vladimirov, V. & al. (eds.) (2017). New floristic records in the Balkans: 34 Phytologia Balcanica 23: 413-444.
- Werier, D. (2017). Catalogue of the Vascular plants of New York state Memoirs of the Torrey Botanical Club 27: 1-542.
- Wu, Z. & Raven, P.H. (eds.) (1994). Flora of China 17: 1-378. Science Press (Beijing) & Missouri Botanical Garden Press (St. Louis).
Flora of Tropical East Africa
- DC., Prodr. 13(1): 450 (1852)
- Encycl. Méth. Bot. 2: 101 (1786)
- F.P.U.: 55 (1962)
- F.Z. 8(4): 48 (2005).
- Fl. Egypt 6: 72 (1998)
- Rhodora 69: 213 (1967) pro parte
- Solanaceae Biol. & Syst.: 416 (1986)
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Flora Zambesiaca
Flora Zambesiaca
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Flora of Tropical East Africa
Flora of Tropical East Africa
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Herbarium Catalogue Specimens
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Kew Backbone Distributions
The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2022. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
© Copyright 2017 World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
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Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone
The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2022. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
© Copyright 2017 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
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Kew Science Photographs
Copyright applied to individual images