Physalis

The genus Physalis is composed of some 120

species and is thus the largest genus of its family

(Lu 1986, 80*). Several species are regarded as

toxic, some are raised as ornamentals popular for

their unusual flowers (Chinese lanterns), and

others have ethnomedical significance. Physalis

pubescens 1. and Physalis peruviana 1. (Cape

gooseberry) are the two species most commonly

grown for their fruit. Very mild toxic effects have

been observed following consumption of a large number of berries of Physalis peruviana (Roth et

al. 1994, 560*). The calyx, which surrounds the

seeds like a lantern, can be smoked. It has definite

psychoactive effects that tend to be narcotic in

nature.

Physalis angulata 1., a species from the northwestern

Amazon, is said to be mildly narcotic. Its

juice finds use in Brazilian folk medicine as a

treatment for earaches (Schultes and Raffauf 1991,

43*). Physalis minima, a species from the Caroline

Islands known as poowa, bears fruits that are said

to have an inebriating effect when consumed in

excess (von Reis Altschul 1975, 269*).

The roots of some species of the genus have

yielded tropane alkaloids as well as alkaloids of

the hygrine type (von Reis Altschul 1975, 269*).

The Jew's cherry or lampion flower, Physalis

alkekengi 1. (cf. halicacabon), contains the mildly

toxic bitter principlesphysaline A, B, and C (Roth

et al. 1994, 560*).