Solanaceae FAMILY

Physalis longifolia

Edibility

2/5

Medicinal

0/5

Safety & 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[ 270 Title Flora of N. America Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses. ].

Botanical Description

Physalis longifolia is an erect, to decumbent, herbaceous perennial plant growing from a deeply rooted, stout, rhizomatous rootstock. A freely-branching plant, it can grow around 10 - 60cm tall[ 270 Title Flora of N. America Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses. ]. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food.

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate

Native RangeN. America - Ontario, Quebec, New York and Vermont, then west and south to California, northern Mexico, Texas and Alabama

HabitatFields, open woods, sandy areas, disturbed sites, sagebrush and pinyon-juniper communities; at elevations from 200 - 2,700 metres[ 270 Title Flora of N. America Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses. ]. Bottoms, clearings etc[ 43 Title Gray's Manual of Botany.Eighth Edition Publication Author Fernald. M. L. Publisher American Book Co.; New York Year 1950 ISBN 0442222505 Description A bit dated but a good and concise flora of the eastern part of N. America. ]. Rich soils[ 235 Title An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada Publication Author Britton. N. L. Brown. A. Publisher Dover Publications. New York. Year 1970 ISBN 0-486-22642-5 Description Reprint of a 1913 Flora, but still a very useful book. ].