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Herbs perennial, becoming suf­frutescent, rhizomatous, rhi­zomes often just below soil sur­face, vertical, stout, puberulent, hairs divergent, to 0.5 mm, some glandular, appearing ± glabrous without magnification. Stems erect, branch­ing from near base and at most nodes, branches widely spreading, dis­tinctly zigzag, slender, 1–4(–10) dm. Leaves petiolate; petiole mostly as long as blade; blade broadly ovate to deltate, 0.8–3.3(–4.5) × 0.8–3.3(–4.5) cm, base cordate, sometimes slightly unequal, mar­gins entire to un­evenly coarsely dentate, sometimes thick and slightly succulent. Pedicels 8–24(–33) mm, (11–)14–30(–35) mm in fruit. Flowers: calyx (3–)4–7(–8) mm, lobes 1–3 mm; corolla pale yellow with yellow or greenish-brown smudges or tinge, campanulate-rotate, 8–14 mm; anthers yellow, not twisted after dehiscence, 1.5–3 mm. Fruiting calyces loosely enclosing berry, 10-ribbed, 14–30(–40) × (10–)15–20(–25) mm. 2n = 24.

Phenology: Flowering year-round in areas without frost, mostly Mar–Apr.
Habitat: Gravelly or sandy slopes, washes, roadsides, mesas, canyons.
Elevation: 100–1700 m.

Distribution

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• Legacy Map

Ariz., Calif., Nev., Utah, Mexico (Baja California, Baja California Sur, Chihuahua, Sinaloa, Sonora), introduced in Australia.

Discussion

In Physalis crassifolia, the corolla limb is widely flaring and reflexed when the flower is fully open, and the flowers are more nodding than fully pendent. Some herbarium specimen labels indicate that plants flower the first year. Physalis greenei Vasey & Rose, not validly published, has been misapplied to some representatives of P. crassifolia. Physalis crassifolia is widespread in Arizona, but it is restricted in California to south-southeastern counties as far north as Inyo, in Nevada to Clark and Lincoln counties, and in Utah to Washington County.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.