When not in flower, narrow-leaved Physalis angulata is difficult to distinguish from Physalis acutifolia. The latter species has nearly rotate, widely flaring corollas that are pale yellow to nearly white with a green or yellow star-shaped tinge in the throat[]..

Common Name: Cutleaf Ground Cherry

General Information

Physalis angulata is an erect, annual plant with spreading branches; growing from a taproot it can grow 10 - 200cm tall. The lower stems are sometimes prostrate and root at the nodes[, ].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and is used in the traditional treatment of a wide variety of diseases[]. It is often allowed to remain when it appears as a weed of cultivation and is also sometimes cultivated at a local level for its edible fruit, which is commonly sold in local markets in Mexico[, , , ].
Physalis angulata has a very wide distribution range from the United States of America, throughout Mexico, Central and South Amercia. It occurs in a wide range of habitats and a number of protected areas. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2017)[].
Physalis angulata is an annual species of American origin which has been very widely introduced across many tropical, subtropical and warmer temperate regions. It is often characterized as a pantropical invasive weed of crops, gardens and plantations, although in many regions it has naturalized (such as Central America, Africa, India and Pacific islands) It is a host of many diseases of commercial crops, including the causal agent of tomato bacterial spot, as well as viruses found in tobacco, potato, okra, capsicum pepper, lucerne, beans and several other crops, physalis mottle virus, and also several root-knot nematodes[].

Known Hazards

The unripe fruits and foliage of Physalis species contain solanine and other solanidine alkaloids and are toxic if ingested in large quantities. The ripe fruiys are usually edible, and several species are cultivated for these fruits[].

Botanical References

, ,

Range

Originally native to tropical America, now widely distributed throughout the tropical, subtropical and warm temperate regions.

Habitat

A common weed associated with cornfields, rivers, grasslands, pine-oak forests, or tropical deciduous forests; at elevations from sea level to 2,400 metres[].Found over debris, in fallows, fields and coastal sands, often on nitrate-rich soils[].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Annual
Height	0.75 m
Pollinators	Insects, Self
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Cutleaf ground cherry is found in many parts of the tropics and subtropics at elevations up to elevations up to 3,000 metres. It is tolerant of light frosts, but does not grow well at high temperatures[].
Prefers a moist, fertile soil, but succeeds in any well-drained soil in full sun or light shade[, ].
When free of stress, the plant can grow to 80 - 100cm tall before flowering; but where growing under stress flowering may start when the plants are 25 - 30cm tall[].
Plants raised from seed may start flowering after 6 weeks, and fruits are ripe 6 weeks later[].
The plant is highly resistant to pests and diseases and is worthy of cultivation[]. It is closely related to Physalis virginiana[]. (As Physalis minima)

Edible Uses

Edible fruit - raw or cooked[, , ]. Juicy and sub-acid[]. The round fruit is green at maturity, around 10 - 15mm in diameter with numerous small seeds[]. The fruit is up to 30mm in diameter[]. The plant conveniently wraps up each fruit in its own 'paper bag' (botanically, the calyx) to protect it from pests and the elements. This calyx is toxic and should not be eaten.
The following reports about the fruit were listed under Physalis minima L., which is now considered to be a synonym of Physalis angulate.
Edible fruit - cooked[, , ]. Tastes like a cherry tomato[, ]. Scarcely worthwhile[]. Juicy, mildly astringent and sweet with a pleasant blend of acid, the overall quality is good[]. The unripe fruit can be cooked as a vegetable[]. The fruit is about 1.5cm in diameter[]. It contains about 6% sugars, 2.7% protein, 1.2% ash, 0.6% tannin and 0.5% pectin[]. A good quantity of vitamin C. about 24.5mg per 100ml of juice[]. The fruit is formed and ripens consecutively over a long period[]. Average yields from a plant covering 2.5 square metres are about 545g[].

Young leaves - raw or cooked as a potherb[, , , , ]. A bitter flavour[]. Some caution is advised, see the notes above on toxicity[].me caution is advised, see the notes above on toxicity.

Medicinal

The plant is diuretic, expectorant, febrifuge[, ]. The leaves have been used to treat stomach disorders and Bright's Disease[, ].
The plant is used in the Pacific Islands to facilitate childbirth; to treat infertility in women and dengue fever[].

The root is febrifuge and vermifuge. An extract of the root is taken for fevers, whilst the root is chewed to act as a vermifuge[]. A decoction of the roots is drunk to treat hypertension and diabetes[].
The roots are chewed and applied as a poultice to the lower abdomen in order to reduce pain[].

The fruit is said to be alterative, analgesic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, appetizer, bitter, diuretic, laxative, sedative and tonic[, , ]. (As Physalis minima)

The seeds are cooked with Phyllanthus amarus seeds in a preparation given to women after childbirth[].

The leaves are analgesic, diuretic, parasiticide and relaxant[] They are eaten, or applied as an enema, in order to cure stomach-ache, colic, lithiasis and anuria. Added to palm wine, they are used to cure fever and to calm attacks of asthma, vomiting and diarrhoea[]. Sleeping sickness is treated with a mixture of the leaves combined with those of Anchomanes difformis[].
The leaves are used externally to treat a wide range of skin ailments such as itch, smallpox pustules, whitlow lesions, infected scarification wounds and rheumatic pain, and to relieve muscular stiffness and pain. The pounded leaves are used as a remedy for headache and itches[]. The juice of the leaves, mixed with mustard oil and water, has been used as a remedy for earache[]. The leaves are also applied to Guinea worm sores, killing the worms and easing extraction. A lotion prepared from the leaves is applied to treat ophthalmia in children[].

Physalis angulata is also widely used as a medicinal plant in Central and South America . It is used to treat malaria, toothache, liver ailments including hepatitis, rheumatism, and is considered a diuretic and relaxant. Plant infusions are taken to treat gonorrhoea, indigestion, nephritis and fever[].
In South-East Asia an infusion of the aerial parts, including the fruits, is taken to cure digestive and intestinal problems, and is externally applied to treat various skin problems such as sores, boils and cuts. In Papua New Guinea a leaf decoction is drunk to treat constipation. The sap of the leaves mixed in water is taken as an abortifacient, although the use of the leaves to treat sterility is also mentioned[].

The aerial parts of the plant contain several steroidal lactones belonging to the physaline and withanolide types: physalins A-I, physagulin A-G, withangulatin A and withanolide T. They further contain several vitasteroids, e.g. Vamonolide. The pyrrolidine alkaloid phygrine (bis-hygrine) was isolated from the roots and aerial parts. The physalins B and F were found to inhibit the growth of several types of human leukaemia cells in vitro and physalin F showed cytotoxicity in vitro on 5 otherhuman cancer cell lines. In addition, physalin F had an antitumour effect in mice in vivo. In vitro withangulatin A was found to be a topoisomerase II inhibitor and a cytotoxin. In tests on rats and mice, vitanolides (isolated from aerial parts) and hyperoside (quercetin-3-O-galactoside; from the leaves) were confirmed to have anti-inflammatory activity. Extracts of Physalis angulata have proven effectiveness against both human African sleeping sickness (Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense) and Chagas’ disease (Trypanosoma cruzi). They also have an inhibitory effect against several strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae and molluscicidal properties (Biomphalaria tenagophila)[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - sow early to mid spring in a greenhouse only just covering the seed. Germination usually takes place quickly and freely. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots of fairly rich soil when they are large enough to handle and plant them out after the last expected frosts. Consider giving them some protection such as a cloche until they are growing away well. Diurnal temperature fluctuations assist germination[].