8. Physalis pubescens L. (Am.) – A very rare and ephemeral alien. First recorded in 1921 as a wool alien in the Vesdre valley near Ensival. More recently seen on the unloading quay of Ghent Grain Terminal in the port of Gent in 1997, probably as a soybean alien (Verloove & Vandenberghe 1998).
Like Physalis grisea, P. ixocarpa, P. peruviana and P. philadelphica this species is cultivated for its edible fruits but, so far, it has not been recorded yet as a food refuse alien in Belgium (although it might pass unrecorded as P. peruviana). The photos here under refer to plants grown in an urban garden allotment in Wilrijk.
Selected literature:
Martínez M. (1998) Revision of Physalis section Epeteiorhiza (Solanaceae). An. Inst. Biol. Univ. Nac. Aut. México, ser. Bot. 69(2): 71-117.
Verloove F. & Vandenberghe C. (1998) Nieuwe en interessante voederadventieven voor de Belgische flora, hoofdzakelijk in 1997. Dumortiera 72: 18-36.