Physalis minima L., Solanaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Physalis lagascae R. & S.

Common name(s): [more details]

Chamorro: tomate chaca

Chinese: xiao suan jiang

Chuukese: chi

English: bubble fruit, ground cherry, sunberry, wild cape gooseberry

I-Kiribati: te baraki, te bin

Nauruan: oatamo, watamo

Niuean: manini

Pohnpeian: ti

Spanish: vejiga de perro

Tongan: polo pa

Tuvaluan: pini

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Bushy annual to 50 cm, glabrous or with minute simple hairs.  Leaves alternate, 1 or sometimes 2 per node (but not opposite); lamina ovate-lanceolate, rounded to cuneate at base, usually 4-6 cm long, 2-3 cm wide, sometimes larger, entire or shallowly toothed or lobed; petiole to 6 cm long.  Pedicels usually 20-25 mm long, occasionally shorter.  Calyx 3-5 mm long; lobes triangular, acute, 1-2 mm long.  Corolla 5-angled, 5-8 mm long, pale creamy-yellow, usually with large brownish spots towards base.  Anthers 2-2.5 mm long.  Style 4-5 mm long.  Fruiting calyx 10-angled with 5 minor and 5 major veins, 23-30 mm long, pale green (pale brown when dry). Berry globular, 8-14 mm in diameter.  Seeds disc-shaped to broadly reniform, 1-1.5 (2) mm long, pale yellow" (George, 1982; p. 181).

"The differences between Physalis angulata and P. mimima are not clear.  In Java and New Caledonia both species are said to be present, and a distinction between them is suggested somewhat as follows:

P. angulata:  "Stems mostly green, hollow, strongly angular-ribbed distally; stem ribs, petioles, and pedicels with very short, upcurved hairs, glabrescent; petioles 2-11 cm long; leaf blades 5-10 x 2.5-8 cm, short-pilose on both surfaces, glabrate, usually obviously and irregularly dentate but sometimes  merely sinuate; pedicels 7-15 mm long at anthesis, to 25 mm long in fruit; calyx appressed-pilose without, glabrescent; corolla 7-12 mm in diameter, with 5 sometimes very obscure blotches within; fruiting calyx 20-40 mm long, subglobose-acuminate, with 10 slightly projecting angles, glabrous; fruits 10-12 mm in diameter, with an inconspicuous stipe scarcely 1 mm long."

P. minima:  "Stems often purple-tinged, with only a narrow cavity, inconspicuously angular-ribbed distally; stems, petioles, and pedicels pilose (sometimes sparsely so) with spreading hairs, glabrescent; petioles 0.5-3 (-6.5?) cm long; leaf blades 1.5-5 (-9?) x 1-3 (-6?) cm, spreading-pilose on both surfaces, glabrescent, entire or sparsely dentate toward apex; pedicels 2-5 (-10?) mm long at anthesis, to 9 (-15?) mm long in fruit; calyx short-spreading-pilose without, glabrescent; corolla 4-5 (-7) mm in diameter, with 5 very distinct brown blotches within; fruiting calyx 12-25 mm long, ovoid-acuminate, with 5 pronounced angles, sparsely pilose on nerves; fruits 5-7 mm in diameter, sessile"  (Smith, 1991; pp. 29-31).

Habitat/ecology:  "A widespread weed of disturbed areas.  Frequently found near rivers" (George, 1982; p. 181). In Tonga, "occasional as a plantation weed" (Yuncker, 1959; pp. 236-237). In New Caledonia, "mauvaise herbe peu commune bien que présente depuis longtemps" (MacKee, 1994; p. 131).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Pantropical, probable origin neotropics (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Agrigan (Agrihan) Island	introduced	Ohba, T. (1994) (p. 62) Voucher cited: CBM-BS-59095
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Alamagan Island	introduced	Ohba, T. (1994) (p. 62) Voucher cited: CBM-BS-68960
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Anatahan Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 245)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Anatahan Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C./Sachet, M.-H. (1975) (p. 39) Voucher cited: Falanruw 1971 (US)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Asuncion Island		Wagner, W. L./ Herbst, D. R./Weitzman, A./Lorence, D.H. (2013)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Farallon de Pajaros (Uracas) Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 245)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Farallon de Pajaros (Uracas) Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C./Sachet, M.-H. (1975) (p. 39) Voucher cited: Falanruw 2199 (US)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Farallon de Pajaros (Uracas) Island	introduced	Ohba, T. (1994) (p. 62) Voucher cited: CBM-BS-59190
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Guguan Island	native	Raulerson, L. (2006) (p. 60)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Maug Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 245)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Maug Island	introduced	Ohba, T. (1994) (p. 62) Voucher cited: CBM-BS-59147
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Pagan Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C./Sachet, M.-H. (1980) (p. 213) Voucher cited: Falanruw 3263 (US)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Pagan Island	native	Raulerson, L. (2006) (p. 60)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Sarigan Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 245)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Sarigan Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C./Sachet, M.-H. (1975) (p. 39) Vouchers cited: Evans 2361 (US, BISH, Fo, NY), Falanruw 1743 (US), Falanruw 1776 (US), Falanruw 1749 (US?)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Puluwat (Pwonowót) Atoll	native	Manner, H. I./Mallon, E. (1989) (p. 58) Voucher cited: Manner & Mallon 221 (GUAM)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Ulalu (Romonum) Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 245)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Ant Atoll		Wagner, W. L./ Herbst, D. R./Weitzman, A./Lorence, D.H. (2013)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island		Glassman, S. F. (1952) (p. 99) Voucher cited: Kanehira 777 (NY)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	introduced invasive	Herrera, Katherine/Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy/Balick, Michael J. (2010) (p. 137) Voucher cited: S.F. Glassman 2803 (BISH) Naturalized
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Ulithi Atoll		Wagner, W. L./ Herbst, D. R./Weitzman, A./Lorence, D.H. (2013)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island		Wagner, W. L./ Herbst, D. R./Weitzman, A./Lorence, D.H. (2013)
Kiribati Line Islands	Kiritimati (Christmas) Atoll	introduced invasive	Wester, Lyndon (1985) (p. 31) Volunteer in disturbed areas.
Kiribati Line Islands	Teraina (Washington) Island	introduced invasive	Wester, Lyndon (1985) (p. 31) Volunteer in disturbed areas.
Nauru Nauru Island	Nauru Island	introduced invasive	Thaman, R. R./Fosberg, F. R./Manner, H. I./Hassall, D. C. (1994) (p. 199) Voucher cited: Fosberg 58646 (US)
New Caledonia Îles Loyauté (Loyalte Islands)	Île Tiga	introduced invasive	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 131) Voucher cited: Toutain 3662 (NOU)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced invasive	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 131) Vouchers cited: Védel s.n., Deplanche 317, Balansa 516, Bougier s.n., MacKee 15645
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced	Sykes, W. R. (1970) (p. 197) Status uncertain. Voucher cited: CHR 169963
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced invasive	Yuncker, T. G. (1943) (p. 105) Vouchers cited: Yuncker 9745 (BISH), Yuncker 10101 (BISH) "Occasional weed along roadsides, in plantations and waste areas".
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara M./Newfield, Melanie/Bull, Cate (2004) (p. 45)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (p. 102)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Lorence, David H./LaRosa, Anne Marie (2009) (p. 64)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Peleliu (Beliliou) Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 245)
Papua New Guinea Bismarck Archipelago	Bismarck Archipelago	invasive	Peekel, P. G. [translated by E. E. Henty] (1984) (p. 492) Common weed in native gardens, also in open places and on rubbish heaps.
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)		Henty, E. E./Pritchard, G. H. (1975) (p. 149)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands		Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (p. 68)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands	invasive	Merrill, Elmer D. (1923) (p. 423) Common in open wste places at low altitudes, ascending to 1,600 m.
Tonga Tongatapu Group	‘Eua Island		Yuncker, T. G. (1959) (pp. 236-237) Voucher cited: Yuncker 15463
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Late Island	introduced	Sykes, W. R. (1981) (p. 351)
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Vava‘u Island		Yuncker, T. G. (1959) (pp. 236-237) Cited: Crosby.
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Vava‘u Island		Burkill, I. H. (1900) (p. 49)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia Australia (continental)	Australia (continental)		Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. (1979) (pp. 278-279)
China China	China (People's Republic of)		Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. (1979) (pp. 278-279)
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)		Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (p. 68)
Malaysia Malaysia	Malaysia (country of)		Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (p. 68)
Negara Brunei Darussalam Brunei	Brunei (Negara Brunei Darussalam)		Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (p. 68)
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)		Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (p. 68)
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	uncertain if introduced invasive	Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 69) Weed of uncertain origin
Thailand Thailand	Thailand (Kingdom of)		Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (p. 68)

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia (Indian Ocean offshore islands) Christmas Island Group	Christmas Island	native	Orchard, Anthony E., ed. (1993) (p. 19)
Australia (Indian Ocean offshore islands) Cocos (Keeling) Islands	Cocos (Keeling) Islands	introduced invasive	Orchard, Anthony E., ed. (1993) (pp. 37, 39) On both main atoll and North Keeling Island.
Maldives Maldive Islands	Maldive Islands		Fosberg, F. R. (1957) (p. 32) "Sparsely in the whole group".
Maldives Maldive Islands	Malè Atoll		Fosberg, F. R. (1957) (p. 32)

Comments:  See also Physalis angulata.

Control:  If you know of control methods for Physalis minima, please let us know.