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Physalis walteri Nutt.

Groundcherry

KingdomPlantaePlants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
SubkingdomTracheobiontaVascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
DivisionMagnoliophytaFlowering plants, also known as angiosperms
ClassMagnoliopsidaDicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
SubclassAsteridaeA large class that encompasses asters
OrderSolanalesPotatoes, eggplants, tomatoes, peppers, tobacco, petunias, sweet potatoes, morning glories, many others
FamilySolanaceaeNightshade or potato family
GenusPhysalisFrom the Greek physalis, “a bladder or bubble,” because of the inflated calyx
SpecieswalteriFor Thomas Walter, an 18th century South Carolina botanist (not confirmed)

About plant names...

This tomato relative is native to the southeastern United States. It is found on beach dunes and back dunes, in longleaf pine flatwoods, turkey oak sandridges, sandy banks bordering salt marshes, longleaf pine/wiregrass uplands, and slash pine flatwoods, in loamy sand and calcerous soils.

Plants: 6-24″ (15-60 cm) in height.

Leaves: Ovate to elliptic

Flowers: Funnel-shaped, yellow, fuzzy, hanging downward, appearing May-Sep, peaking in Jun.

Fruits: Flowers become a papery husk resembling a Chinese lantern. Each husk encloses a single, edible fruit ¾-1″ (2-3 cm) in size, which, when ripe, is orange to golden yellow.

Edibility: Fruits are edible raw or cooked. Unripe (light green) or bitter-tasting fruit is toxic, and the husk enclosing the fruit is not edible.

Online References:

Florida.plantatlas.usf.edu

Www.eattheweeds.com On edibility

Www.wildsouthflorida.com

Coastalplainplants.org

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

SEINet—the Southwest Environmental Information Network

Physalis walteri (groundcherry)

4/15/2015 · Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge Marsh Trail, Florida · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (18 × 12 cm)

Physalis walteri (groundcherry)

4/15/2015 · Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge Marsh Trail, Florida · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (16 × 11 cm)

Physalis walteri (groundcherry)

4/15/2015 · Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge Marsh Trail, Florida · ≈ 9 × 6″ (23 × 16 cm)

Physalis elliottii Kuntze

Physalis maritima M.A. Curtis

Physalis viscosa L. var. elliottii (Kuntze) Waterf.

Physalis viscosa L. ssp. maritima (M.A. Curtis) Waterf.

Physalis viscosa L. var. maritima (M.A. Curtis) Rydb.

 

Physalis walteri description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 25 May 2020.

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Physalis walteri (groundcherry)

4/15/2015 · Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge Marsh Trail, Florida · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (18 × 12 cm)

Physalis walteri (groundcherry)

4/15/2015 · Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge Marsh Trail, Florida · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (18 × 12 cm)

Physalis walteri (groundcherry)

4/15/2015 · Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge Marsh Trail, Florida · ≈ 8 × 12″ (21 × 31 cm)

Physalis walteri (groundcherry)

4/15/2015 · Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge Marsh Trail, Florida · ≈ 6 × 8″ (14 × 20 cm)

Range:

About this map...