Food Plants International

459
Names
English: Native gooseberry Scientific name: Physalis minima L.
Tok pisin: Synonyms:
Tok ples: Plant family: Solanaceae
Description: An erect or spreading branched herb. It is
an annual plant. The roots are fibrous. The leaves are
alternate and entire and covered with soft downy hairs.
They have irregular teeth along the edge. They are 2-3
cm long and 1-1.5 cm wide. They are pale green. The
stems are round or nearly so. The flowers are yellow
with the inner ring of petals bell shaped. These are
sometimes purple at the base inside. The fruit is a
round berry about 6 mm across. It is completely
surrounded by an inflated calyx. This is 5 angled.
Distribution: It grows in the tropics. They are
common in waste places at low altitudes up to 1600 m
in the Philippines. It grows in southern China on slopes
between 1000-1800 m. altitude.
Cultivation:
Production:
Use: The fruit are eaten. They are also preserved.
The leaves are eaten, cooked.
Food Value: Per 100 g edible portion
Edible Moisture Energy Protein Calcium Iron proVit A proVit C Zinc
part % KJ g mg mg µg mg mg
Fruit
Leaves
84.2 264 3.2 4.2 1 0.5
Insects:
Diseases:
Pests:
Importance: They are mostly eaten by children.