Scientific Family
Solanaceae
Synonyms
Physalis wrightii
Other common names
sharp-leaf ground-cherry, sharpleaf groundcherry
ground cherry
Wright groundcherry
Wright's groundcherry
Plant type
Forbs and Subshrubs
Origin
Native
Lifecycle
Annual
Height
4 to 40 inches
Riparian
No
Low-growing annual with toothed leaf margins; short hairs on stems, leaf margins and veins; a whitish to yellowish flower of united petals which radiate from a central point like the spokes of a wheel.
Low-growing annual, erect or ascending with strongly angled, much-branched stems; toothed leaf margins; short hairs on stems, leaf margins and veins; whitish to yellowish circular and flat flowers with deeper yellow centers, anthers greenish to purplish.
Habitat
Found in fields and along roadsides and ditches.
Plant Community
Grasslands
Disturbed Areas
Low elevation
3000
High elevation
4000
Flower Characteristics
Flowers solitary; whitish or pale yellow with dark yellow centers; anthers greenish to purplish, 1/4 inch long; flower stems slender, 1/4 to 3/4 inch and finely hairy when flowering; flowers about 1 inch across.
Flower color
Whitish to yellowish
Flower shape
Regular
Tubular
No
First bloom month
April
Last bloom month
September
Flower clusters
None
Leaf and Stem Characteristics
Leaf stems to 2 inches long; leaves 1/4 to 1-1/2 inches wide, 3/4 to 3 inches long; deeply toothed, sharply pointed at tip, wedge-shaped at base, margins finely ciliate (eyelash-like hairs).
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf color
Green
Leaf shape
Narrow
Leaf margin
Toothed
Leaves clasp
No
Leaf hairs
Leaves & stems
Spines
No
Fruit and Seed Characteristics
Egg-shaped berry-like, <1 inch, 10-angled, but angles not always clearly visible.
Fruit type
Berry-like