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Physalis pumila

Nutt.

Dwarf Ground-cherry

G5Secure Found in 1 roadless area NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.1334461
Element CodePDSOL0S5C0
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderSolanales
FamilySolanaceae
GenusPhysalis
Concept Reference
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.
Taxonomic Comments
This record is for the broad treatment of Physalis pumila, including P. pumila var. hispida, as recognized in Sullivan's treatment in FNA (2023, vol. 14). Kartesz (1994, 1999) recognizes P. hispida as a distinct species.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2025-10-09
Change Date2025-10-09
Edition Date2025-10-09
Edition AuthorsSoteropoulos (2025)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
Physalis pumila is a wide-ranging perennial herb found in sandhills, dunes, sandy floodplains, sandy or dry and rocky prairies, glades, fields, disturbed habitats, and roadsides. It occurs in the Great Plains in the central United States from Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, and Wyoming, south to western Louisiana, eastern Texas, and New Mexico. There are over 300 estimated occurrences, which face threats from development, agriculture and pasturage, rights-of-way maintenance, 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.
Range Extent Comments
Physalis pumila occurs in the Great Plains in the central United States from Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, and Wyoming, south to western Louisiana, eastern Texas, and New Mexico (FNA 2023, Heil and O'Kane 2025, Weakley and the Southeastern Flora Team 2025). Range extent was estimated to be over 1.8 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).
Occurrences Comments
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 300 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, RARECAT 2025, SEINet 2025).
Threat Impact Comments
Although threats are not widely documented, this species is threatened by development, agriculture and pasturage, rights-of-way maintenance, 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, and tolerance of light disturbance.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Physalis pumila grows in sandhills, dunes, sandy floodplains, sandy or dry and rocky prairies, glades, fields, disturbed habitats, and roadsides at 100 to 2000 m elevation (FNA 2023).

Reproduction

This species flowers from March through September (FNA 2023).
Terrestrial Habitats
Grassland/herbaceousOld fieldSand/duneBarrensBare rock/talus/screeCropland/hedgerowSuburban/orchardUrban/edificarian
Palustrine Habitats
Riparian
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
ArkansasSNRYes
NebraskaSNRYes
KansasSNRYes
LouisianaSNRYes
MissouriSNRYes
OklahomaSNRYes
TexasSNRYes
IowaSNRYes
IllinoisSNRYes
ColoradoSNRYes
New MexicoSNRYes
WyomingS4Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
1 - Residential & commercial developmentUnknownUnknownUnknown
2 - Agriculture & aquacultureUnknownUnknownUnknown
2.1 - Annual & perennial non-timber cropsUnknownUnknownUnknown
2.3 - Livestock farming & ranchingUnknownUnknownUnknown
4 - Transportation & service corridorsUnknownUnknownUnknown
4.1 - Roads & railroadsUnknownUnknownUnknown
4.2 - Utility & service linesUnknownUnknownUnknown
8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseasesUnknownUnknownUnknown
8.1 - Invasive non-native/alien species/diseasesUnknownUnknownUnknown
8.1.1 - Unspecified speciesUnknownUnknownUnknown

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Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)Yes
Roadless Areas (1)
Texas (1)
AreaForestAcres
Little Lake CreekNational Forests in Texas596
References (10)
  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. Heil, K.D., and S.L. O'Kane. 2025. Vascular plants of New Mexico. Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis. 1119 pp.
  4. iNaturalist. 2025. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2025).
  5. 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.
  6. Kartesz, J.T. 1999. A synonymized checklist and atlas with biological attributes for the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. First edition. In: Kartesz, J.T., and C.A. Meacham. Synthesis of the North American Flora, Version 1.0. North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill, N.C.
  7. NatureServe. 2025. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  8. <p>NatureServe's Rapid Analysis of Rarity and Endangerment Conservation Assessment Tool (RARECAT). 2025. Version: 2.1.1 (released April 04, 2025).</p>
  9. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2025. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2025).
  10. 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).