Annual herb, ascending, mainly subglabrous but sparsely to densely strigose on young growth, flowering calyx and peduncles, the stems up to 40 cm long; hairs usually not clearly multicellular, whitish, to ca. 0.5 mm long.

LEAVES: ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 2.5–7 cm long, 1–3.5 cm wide, 2–2.5 times as long as wide; petiole 1–3 cm long, about 0.5 times as long as blade; base attenuate; apex acute; margins entire to repand.

FLOWERS: urceolate, 3–5 mm long, 2.5–3.5 mm wide; peduncle 2–3 mm long; calyx ca. 2 mm long, the lobes shorter than the tube; corolla purple or yellow with distinct purple base, 2–3.5 mm wide, the widest point near the middle; anthers purplish, ca. 1 mm long.

FRUITING CALYX:  globose to ovoid, 10–12 mm wide and long; berry 4–7 mm diameter; seeds ca. 2 mm wide. 

Additional notes: [Margaranthus solanaceus Schltdl., M. lemmoni A. Gray]. —Canyons, grasslands, desert scrub, woodlands of cottonwood, oak, or pinyon-juniper; Cochise, Gila, Graham, Greenlee, Maricopa, Pima, Santa Cruz, Yavapai cos.; 1000–2000 m (3300–6600 ft); flowering Sep–Aug; NM, n Mex.

Duration: Annual

Nativity: Native

Lifeform: Forb/Herb

General: Ascending, mainly subglabrous but sparsely to densely strigose on young growth, flowering calyx and peduncles, the stems up to 40 cm long, hairs whitish, and about 0.5 mm long.

Leaves: Alternate, ovate to ovate lanceolate 2.5-7 cm long, 1-3.5 cm wide, 2-2.5 times as long as wide, on a petiole 1-3 cm long, about 0.5 times as long as wide, with an attentuate base and acute apex, the margins entire to repand.

Flowers: Urceolate, 3-5 mm long, 2.5-3.5 mm wide, on a peduncle 2-3 mm long, the calyx is about 2 mm long with lobes shorter than the tube, the corolla is purple or yellow with a distinct purple base, 2-3.5 mm wide, the widest point near the middle, the anthers purplish and about 1 mm long.

Fruits: Berry 4-7 mm in diameter.

Ecology: Found in canyons, grasslands, desert scrub, woodlands of cottonwood, oak, or pi-on juniper, from 3,000-7,000 ft (914-2134 m); flowers August-October.

Distribution: Spread through the lowland deserts of Arizona, into New Mexico and south in Chihuahua.

Notes: This species is distinguished by having an urceolate corolla that is 3-5 mm long, which is purplish to greenish yellow.

Ethnobotany: Unknown

Synonyms: None

Editor: SBuckley 2014

Etymology: Physalis comes from the Greek physalis, "a bladder or bubble," because of the inflated calyx, while solanacea means like the genus Solanum.