Revision of Physalis section Epiteiorhiza (Solanaceae)

Abstract

THE GENUS PHYSALIS INCLUDES ABOUT 90 SPECIES WHICH ARE TENTATIVELY GROUPED INTO FOR SUBGENERA. MORPHOLOGY IS USED TO REVISE SECT. EPETEIORHIZA, SUBGENUS RYDBEGIS. THE SPECIES IN THIS SECTION ARE DEFINED BY THEIR HERBACEOUS HABIT, EITHER GLABROUS OR WITH VESTITURE OF SIMPLE OR GLANDULAR HAIRS, SOLITARITY FLOWERS, WITH ROTATE YELLOW COROLLAS AND TERETE TO STRONGLY 5-ANGLED FRUITING CALYCES. FOURTEEN SPECIES RANGING FROM CANADA TO SOUTH AMERICA ARE RECOGNIZED BY THIS STUDY. DATA OF THEIR ALTITUDINAL DISTRIBUTION, VEGETATION TYPE, FLOWERING, COMMON NAMES AND USES ARE INCLUDED. SOME SPECIES, SUCH AS P. PUBESCENS AND P. CORDATA HAVE BECOME ESTABLISHED IN THE OLD WORLD TROPICS.