Herbs annual, taprooted, glabrous or sparsely pubescent, hairs simple, appressed, to 0.5 mm. Stems erect, branching at most nodes, branches spreading, 1.5–5(–20) dm. Leaves petiolate; petiole 2/3 to as long as blade; blade broadly ovate to orbiculate, 4.5–8.5 × 3.5–7.5 cm, base rounded to truncate or cordate, margins coarsely dentate, teeth 10+ per side. Pedicels (4.5–)6–11 mm, (10–)15–35 mm in fruit. Flowers: calyx 3.5–6.5 mm, lobes lanceolate, 2–4.5 mm; corolla yellow with 5 large purple-brown-black spots, campanulate-rotate, 6.5–9.5 mm; anthers blue or blue-tinged, not twisted after dehiscence, 1.5–2.5 mm. Fruiting calyces loosely enclosing berry, sharply 5-angled, (25–)30–40 × 20–30 mm. 2n = 24.
Phenology: Flowering Jul–Oct.
Habitat: Sandy or clay soils, along streams, pine woods, disturbed habitats.
Elevation: 0–100 m.
Distribution
Ala., Ark., Fla., Ga., La., Miss., Mo., N.C., Okla., S.C., Tenn., Tex., Mexico, West Indies, Bermuda, Central America, South America (to Brazil), introduced in Asia.
Discussion
Herbarium specimens of Physalis cordata often consist of only the distal portions of the plants, with label data stating that they are quite tall. The upper limit in this description is taken from M. Martínez (1998).
Selected References
None.