Physalis virginiana

This record is for a narrow treatment of Physalis virginiana, excluding var. texana as a variety of P. longifolia and var. polyphylla as indistinct from typical P. longifolia, as recognized in Sullivan's FNA (2023, vol. 14) treatment. Other treatments (e.g., Kartesz 1994, 1999) recognize those varieties in a broader P. virginiana. Sullivan's treatment also does not recognize P. virginiana var. campaniforma as distinct from typical P. virginiana.

Physalis virginiana is a wide-ranging perennial herb found in prairies, fields, thickets, pine-oak-hickory woodlands, gravelly pinyon-juniper slopes, glades, barrens, and disturbed habitats. It occurs in central and eastern North America, from Ontario and Manitoba, Canada, and Connecticut and Wyoming south to northern Florida and New Mexico in the United States, as well as Mexico. It is considered nonnative in the northern New England states. There are over 900 estimated occurrences, which face threats from development, rights-of-way maintenance, logging, invasive species, and other threats in some places. Little is known about trends, but with a large range extent and large number of occurrences, abundant habitat, and broad habitat preferences, this species is considered secure.

Physalis virginiana occurs in central and eastern North America, "primarily in the Midwest and central plains states and southern and eastern Canadian prairies. It is found sporadically in disturbed habitats in the eastern United States and on wooded, gravelly slopes in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains" (FNA 2023). It occurs from Ontario and Manitoba, Canada, and Connecticut and Wyoming south to northern Florida and New Mexico in the United States, as well as Mexico (Villasenor 2016, FNA 2023, Weakley and the Southeastern Flora Team 2025). It is considered nonnative in northern New England states (Native Plant Trust 2025). Native range extent was estimated to be over 6 million square kilometers using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1994 and 2025 (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, RARECAT 2025, SEINet 2025).

By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1994 and 2025, it is estimated that there are over 900 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, RARECAT 2025, SEINet 2025).

Although threats are not widely documented, this species is threatened by development, rights-of-way maintenance, logging, invasive species, and other threats in some places, though there is insufficient data, including anecdotal accounts, to understand scope and severity of threats for this species (NatureServe 2025). However, their overall impact is likely negligible given the species' broad range, large number of occurrences, tolerance of light disturbance, and affinity for typically abundant habitats.