Physalis peruviana
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Physalis peruviana (commonly known as the Cape Gooseberry, Ground-cherry, Golden Berry, or Inca Berry) is a species of Physalis indigenous to Central America and western South America, but grows well in Africa. It is related to the tomato (but not related to the common gooseberry or Chinese gooseberry as the common name might suggest). The fruit is a small round berry, about the size of a marble, full of small seeds. It is bright yellow when ripe, and very sweet, making it ideal for baking into pies and making jam.
The most notable feature of the Cape Gooseberry is the single lantern-type pod (calyx) that covers each berry, the feature that gives the gooseberry its "caped" appearance. This part should not be eaten.
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[edit] Areas where cultivated
Native to Peru and Chile, where the fruits are casually eaten and occasionally sold in markets but the plant is still not an important cash crop, it has been widely introduced into cultivation in other tropical, subtropical and even temperate areas. It is also native to Ecuador, where it is cultivated as a cash crop and even made into marmelades, wine and canned. The plant was grown by early settlers at the Cape of Good Hope before 1807. Folk etymology sometimes claims that this is the reason for the name Cape Gooseberry, but the original reason for the name was the cape around the fruit . In South Africa it is commercially cultivated and common as an escape, and the jam and canned whole fruits are staple commodities, often exported. It is cultivated and naturalized on a small scale in Gabon and other parts of Central Africa. Soon after its adoption in the Cape of Good Hope it was carried to Australia and there acquired its common English name. It was one of the few fresh fruits of the early settlers in New South Wales. There it has long been grown on a large scale and is abundantly naturalized, as it is also in Queensland, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, and northern Tasmania. It is also grown in New Zealand, where one descriptor wrote that "the housewife is sometimes embarrassed by the quantity of berries in the garden", as they often fall from the plant.
[edit] Medical uses
The plant has been used as a diuretic for various urinary problems. There seems to be no scientific data to support this. Its use for bladder problems may go back to the doctrine of signatures. Physalis is the Greek word for bladder.
[edit] Warning
All nightshades must be considered somewhat dangerous. All parts of this plant except the ripe fruits may be toxic. It is possible that even the berries of some Physalis species may be toxic. Eating a large number of the ripe berries may cause diarrhea.
[edit] Similar species
There are over a dozen species of Physalis, these include:
- Northern Ground Cherry (P. pruinosa), often sold in garden seed catalogs as "Aunt Molly's Ground Cherry".
- Tomatillo (P. philadelphica and its varieties), commonly sold in Mexico.
- Clammy Ground Cherry (P. heterophylla), which is the most common and has toothed, ovate leaves and is hairy.
- Smooth Ground Cherry (P. subglabrata), which has narrower less toothed leaves and is almost hairless.
- Virginia Ground Cherry (P. virginiana), which is similar to Smooth Ground Cherry except hairy.
- Chinese Lantern (P. alkekengi) (also known as Cape Gooseberry and Winter Cherry) is a native of eastern Europe and Asia and is often grown in flower gardens. It has white flowers and the berry and the calyx surrounding it turn red.
