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Home/Species/ Sharp-leaf Ground-cherry

Physalis acutifolia

(Miers) Sandw.

Sharp-leaf Ground-cherry

G5Secure Found in 2 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.159680
Element CodePDSOL0S010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderSolanales
FamilySolanaceae
GenusPhysalis
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2025-10-07
Change Date2025-10-07
Edition Date2025-10-07
Edition AuthorsSoteropoulos (2025)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
Physalis acutifolia is a wide-ranging annual herb found in disturbed areas along streams and roadsides, gravel and sand, cultivated fields, and parks. It occurs natively in southwestern North America, from California east to Texas in the United States and south to Baja California, Baja California Sur, Chihuahua, Sinaloa, and Sonora in Mexico. It occurs as a waif in many states in the southeastern United States, including Missouri and Louisiana east to South and North Carolina. There are approximately 400 estimated occurrences. Little is known about threats or trends, but with a large range extent and large number of occurrences, abundant habitat, and broad habitat preferences, this species is considered secure.
Range Extent Comments
Physalis acutifolia occurs natively in southwestern North America, from California east to Texas in the United States and south to Baja California, Baja California Sur, Chihuahua, Sinaloa, and Sonora in Mexico; it occurs as a waif in many states in the southeastern United States, including Missouri and Louisiana east to South and North Carolina (FNA 2023, Weakley and the Southeastern Flora Team 2025). Range extent was estimated to be over 3 million square kilometers using herbarium specimens and photo-based observations documented between 1994 and 2025 (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, RARECAT 2025, SEINet 2025).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens and photo-based observations documented between 1994 and 2025, it is estimated that there are over 400 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, RARECAT 2025, SEINet 2025).
Threat Impact Comments
Although threats are not widely documented, this species is potentially threatened by development, rights-of-way maintenance, herbicide, invasive species, and other threats in some places. However, their overall impact is likely negligible given the species' broad range, large number of occurrences, and no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Physalis acutifolia grows in "disturbed areas along streams and roadsides, gravel and sand, cultivated fields, [and] parks" at 100 to 2000 m elevation (FNA 2023).

Reproduction

This species flowers from May through November (FNA 2023).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest EdgeCropland/hedgerowSuburban/orchard
Palustrine Habitats
Riparian
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
ArizonaSNRYes
New MexicoSNRYes
MissouriSNRYes
CaliforniaSNRYes
TexasS1Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
Unknown/undetermined———

—

Plant Characteristics
DurationANNUAL
Economic Value (Genus)Yes
Roadless Areas (2)
Arizona (1)
AreaForestAcres
WhetstoneCoronado National Forest20,728
New Mexico (1)
AreaForestAcres
Peloncillo (NM)Coronado National Forest43,339
References (7)
  1. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2023. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 14. Magnoliophyta: Gentianaceae to Hydroleaceae. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxiv + 505 pp.
  2. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2025. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2025).
  3. iNaturalist. 2025. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2025).
  4. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  5. <p>NatureServe's Rapid Analysis of Rarity and Endangerment Conservation Assessment Tool (RARECAT). 2025. Version: 2.1.1 (released April 04, 2025).</p>
  6. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2025. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2025).
  7. Weakley, A.S., and Southeastern Flora Team. 2025. Flora of the southeastern United States Web App. Edition of February 18, 2025. University of North Carolina Herbarium (NCU), North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Online. Available: https://fsus.ncbg.unc.edu (accessed 2025).