Physalis angulata L.

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Lake Urema Floodplain Edge, Gorongosa National Park

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Synonyms:	Physalis aequata sensu De Wildeman Physalis minima sensu auctt.
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Introduced
Description:	More or less erect annual or rarely short-lived perennial herb. Branches angular or angular ribbed with short simple appressed hairs, particularly on new growth. Leaves mostly ovate or lanceolate, sometimes elliptic or oblong, 2-10 cm long, often asymmetric and decurrent into the petiole, more or less hairless or sparsely pubescent, mainly on the veins and margins; margin more or less deeply toothed with irregular teeth; petiole 1-7 cm long. Flowers solitary and axillary, erect or nodding; pedicel greenish or purplish, 5-12 mm long. Calyx 2.5-7 mm long, campanulate, slightly angled or ribbed, usually with sessile glands mainly towards the base; lobes ovate-triangular, 1.5-3.5 mm long; in fruit green to greenish-yellow, often darker veined, 20-35 mm long, ovoid, somewhat 10-angled or 10-ribbed, scabrid at the margins. Corolla yellow or greenish-yellow, often unmarked or marked brownish to purplish-mauve at the mouth. Stamens included or exserted with bluish or purplish anthers. Fruit globose, sticky, 10-16 mm in diameter, green to yellow held sessile on the base inside the pendulous expanded calyx.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	angulata: angled.
Habitat:	In cultivated and disturbed places.
Altitude range: (metres)
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Zambia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana; native of tropical America, now widespread as a weed of cultivation.
Zimbabwe distribution:	N,W,S
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Literature:	Gonçalves, A.E. (2005). Solanaceae Flora Zambesiaca 8(4) Pages 50 - 51. Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 79. Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 106. Wild, H. (1955). Common Rhodesian Weeds Government of Rhodesia, Salisbury Page 86. (Includes a picture).

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Flora of Botswana: Physalis angulata
Flora of Burundi: Physalis angulata
Flora of the DRC: Physalis angulata
Flora of Mozambique: Physalis angulata
Flora of Zambia: Physalis angulata

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Physalis angulata
African Plant Database: Physalis angulata
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Physalis angulata
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Physalis angulata
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Physalis angulata
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Physalis angulata
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Physalis angulata
JSTOR Plant Science: Physalis angulata
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Physalis angulata
Plants of the World Online: Physalis angulata
Tropicos: Physalis angulata
Wikipedia: Physalis angulata