Herbs annual, taprooted, ± gla­brous to villous, hairs simple, jointed, glandular and eglandular, of varying lengths, all shorter than 0.5 mm, plants from southwestern United States all glandular, green in appearance when dry. Stems erect, branching at most nodes, branches spreading, 0.5–8 dm. Leaves petiolate; petiole 1/5 to as long as blade; blade broadly ovate to orbiculate, (1.6–)2.5–8(–9.5) × (1–)2–7 cm, base rounded to slightly cordate, margins entire or coarsely dentate, teeth fewer than 8 per side. Pedicels slender, 3.5–9 mm, 5–15 mm in fruit. Flowers: calyx 3–6(–7) mm, lobes 1–3.5 mm; corolla yellow with 5 large, dark purple-brown-black spots, campanulate-rotate, 6–11 mm; anthers blue, rarely yellow or blue-tinged, not twisted after dehiscence, 1–2 mm. Fruiting calyces loosely enclosing berry, sharply 5-angled, 20–35 × 15–25(–30) mm, always noticeably longer than wide. 2n = 24.

Phenology: Flowering year-round in areas without frost, mostly May–Oct.
Habitat: Low woods, edges of swamps, stream banks, floodplains, hammocks, disturbed habitats.
Elevation: 0–900 m.

Distribution

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Ala., Ariz., Ark., Calif., D.C., Fla., Ga., Ill., Ind., Iowa, Kans., Ky., La., Md., Mich., Miss., Mo., N.J., N.Mex., N.C., Ohio, Okla., Pa., S.C., Tenn., Tex., Utah, Va., W.Va., Wis., Mexico, West Indies, Central America, South America, introduced in Australia.

Discussion

Fresh plants of Physalis pubescens reportedly have a strong fetid odor (M. Martínez 1998). This widespread species exhibits considerable variability in the character of the leaf margins and degree of indument. The fruits of P. pubescens are reportedly gathered for food.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.