Flora of New Zealand Series

ground cherry

Lax annual, with simple and glandular hairs; stems to c. 90 cm tall. Lvs petiolate. Lamina c. 4-12 × 2.5-8 cm, ovate, ± dentate, ± densely covered in appressed hairs; base truncate to cordate, often oblique; apex obtuse. Fls solitary. Calyx hairy; teeth 2-3 mm long, lanceolate, acute. Corolla c. 6-8 mm diam., yellow with dark basal blotch; lobes short, obtuse. Anthers 1.8-2 mm long, yellowish with bluish margin. Fruiting calyx c. 2.5 cm diam., 5-ribbed, densely hairy. Berry 10-15 mm diam., pale yellow; flesh sweet. Seeds 1.5-2 mm diam., almost suborbicular.

N.: Silverdale (Rodney County, N. Auckland), Waitara (Taranaki).

C. America, subtropical parts of N. America 1981

Waste and arable land.

FL Nov-Mar.

Ground cherry is currently under investigation as an additional crop for N.Z. and more wild plants can be expected.