Common Name: Tomatilla

General Information

Physalis cinerascens is a prostrate to slightly erect, herbaceous perennial that grows from a deeply buried rhizomatous rootstock. The plant branches from the base and at most nodes, growing around 5 - 50cm tall[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine.
Physalis cinerascens is widely distributed, its population is presumed stable and it faces no major widespread threat. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2018)[].

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

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Range

Central and southern N. America - New Mexico, Kansas and Missouri, south to southern Mexico

Habitat

Found in many different habitats, including dry forests, tropical deciduous forest, dry shrublands, vegetation of coastal dunes and halophytic vegetation, it also occurs in perturbed areas; at elevations from sea level to 2,600 metres[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.30 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Physalis cinerascens is native to the warm temperate zome of southern USA south to the tropics of southern Pmexico

Plants can flower all year round when growing in frost-free areas[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw or used to make sauces[].The round, yellow fruit is around 10mm in diameter, containing numerous small seeds[].

Medicinal

The plant is used against gastrointestinal ailments and skin infections[].

Other Uses

Physalis cinerascens is a wild relative of, and potential gene donor to Cape gooseberry (Physalis peruviana), low ground-cherry Physalis pubescens) and tomatillo (Physalis ixocarpa[].

Propagation

Seed -