Physalis angulata

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  • Botanical Name/Scientific Name: Physalis angulata
  • Genus: Physalis
  • Synonym: Physalis angulata Ruiz & Pav.
  • Common/Local Name(s): cutleaf groundcherry, gooseberry
  • Family: Solanaceae
  • Botanical Description: Physalis angulata is an annual herb that typically grows about 0.6 to 1.2 meters (2 to 4 feet) tall. The plant has a spreading habit with branches that are often angled and sometimes have a reddish tinge. The leaves of the cutleaf groundcherry are variable in shape but are generally ovate with pointed tips and often deeply lobed or toothed edges, giving them a somewhat jagged appearance. They are arranged alternately along the stems. The flowers are small and bell-shaped, typically yellow with dark spots or markings in the throat. They hang singly from the axils of the leaves and are about 1 to 2 cm in diameter. The flowering period extends through the summer months. The most distinctive feature of Physalis angulata is its fruit, which is a small, round berry enclosed in an inflated, papery husk called a calyx. The fruits start green and ripen to a bright yellow or sometimes almost orange color. These berries are edible when ripe and have a sweet-tart flavor.
  • Flowering/Fruiting: Flowering may begin as early as April or May and can continue through the end of the rainy season. The fruits to mature by August to November.
  • Plant Uses: Culinary Uses(Edible Fruit and Traditional Recipes), Medicinal Uses(Traditional Medicine) and Ornamental Uses.
  • Origin: Introduced
  • Locality: Ogbogene Ogba/egbema/ndoni Rivers State.
  • Habit: Herb
  • Mode: Wild

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