Physalis peruviana L.

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Luwawa Forest Reserve, Viphya, Mzimba

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Synonyms:
Common names:	Cape gooseberry (English)
Frequency:
Status:	Introduced
Description:	Densely hairy perennial (and ? annual) herb up to 1 m high. Leaves ovate-cordate; apex more or less pointed; margin entire to coarsely dentate. Corolla yellow with brown markings, shallowly 5-lobed. Calyx in fruit swelling 3-5 cm. Fruit 12-20 mm, ellipsoid, yellow, held inside the swollen calyx, not filling it.
Notes:	Cultivated for its edible fruits and widely naturalized
Derivation of specific name:	peruviana: of Peru; Peruvian
Habitat:	A weed of disturbed ground
Altitude range:
Flowering time:	Dec - Mar
Worldwide distribution:	Native to tropical South America; naturalized throughout the tropics.
Malawi distribution:	N,C,S
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Literature:	Baumann, G. (2005). Photographic Guide to Wildflowers of Malawi Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi Pages 124 - 125. (Includes a picture). Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 272. (Includes a picture). Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 44. Gonçalves, A.E. (2005). Solanaceae Flora Zambesiaca 8(4) Pages 47 - 48. Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 79. Timberlake, J.R. & Childes, S.L. (2004). Biodiversity of the Four Corners Area: Technical Reviews Volume Two (Chapter 5-15) Appendix 5-1: Plant Checklist Occasional Publications in Biodiversity 15 Page 226. Wild, H. (1955). Common Rhodesian Weeds Government of Rhodesia, Salisbury Page 87. (Includes a picture). Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 100.

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African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Physalis peruviana
African Plant Database: Physalis peruviana
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Physalis peruviana
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Physalis peruviana
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Physalis peruviana
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Physalis peruviana
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Physalis peruviana
JSTOR Plant Science: Physalis peruviana
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Physalis peruviana
Plants of the World Online: Physalis peruviana
Tropicos: Physalis peruviana
Wikipedia: Physalis peruviana