VIRGINIA GROUND-CHERRY
|
 |
| File Size: 74 KB |
|
|
|
Physalis virginiana Mill.
|
| Konza Prairie, Riley County, Kansas |
| Perennial |
| Height: 12-24 inches |
| Family: Solanaceae – Nightshade Family |
| Flowering Period: June, July, August, September |
|
| Stems: | | Erect, often branched distally, hairs simple, reflexed or retrorse, sometimes spreading distally on stem. | | Leaves: | | Cauline, alternate, simple; petiole .12 to .8 inch; blade lanceolate to ovate or elliptic, 1.6 to 3.6 inches long, .28 to 1.8 inch wide, base tapered, margins entire to sinuately toothed, apex acute, surfaces with sparse to dense minute pubescence. | | Inflorescences: | | Flowers solitary, axillary. Pedicels .2 to .8 inch in flower, .4 to 1.4 inch in fruit. | | Flowers: | | Radially symmetric, nodding at anthesis; calyx campanulate, 5-lobed, .25 to .5 inch, hirsute to hirsutulous, lobes .12 to .24 inch; corolla pale yellow, center dark spotted, campanulate to nearly rotate, 5-angled to entire; stamens 5, included; .4 to .8 inch; anthers yellow, sometimes tinged blue, .08 to .16 inch; pistil 1; style 1. | | Fruits: | | Fruiting calyx 1 to 1.6 inch, 10-angled, inflated; fruits berries, yellow to red, globose, .4 to .6 inch diam. Seeds numerous, reniform to ovate, somewhat flattened, minutely pitted. | | Habitat: | | Tallgrass prairies, stream banks, roadsides, pastures, waste ground. | | Distribution: | | East 1/2 of Kansas | | Origin: | | Native | | Uses: | | Native Americans used the root to dress wounds and took an infusion of the whole plant for dizziness (Moerman 1998). | | Comments: | | Plants pubescent with simple hairs.Physalis bladder, alluding to the inflated calyx and virginiana Virginian.
Physalis is a challenging genus due to variability within and among and subtle morphological differences among some species. Longevity, corolla and anther colors, and pubescence usually are needed for proper identification. |
|
| Virginia ground-cherry |  | | 120 KB | | Konza Prairie, Riley County, Kansas |
| | Virginia ground-cherry fruit |  | | 147 KB | | Konza Prairie, Riley County, Kansas |
| | Virginia ground-cherry |  | | 125 KB | | Konza Prairie, Riley County, Kansas |
| | Virginia ground-cherry |  | | 197 KB | | Konza Prairie, Riley County, Kansas |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
