Weeds of Australia - Fact Sheet

Top Scientific Name Synonyms Family Common Names Origin Naturalised Distribution Notes

Scientific Name

Physalis viscosa L.

Synonyms

Physalis lanceolata Michaux. (misapplied)

Family

Solanaceae

Common Names

Cape gooseberry, Chinese lantern, grape ground cherry, grape groundcherry, prairie ground cherry, prairie groundcherry, starhair ground cherry, starhair groundcherry, sticky Cape gooseberry, sticky gooseberry, sticky ground cherry, sticky ground-cherry, sticky physalis, tomato weed

Origin

Native to South America (i.e. Bolivia, Argentina, Paraguay and possibly other parts of South America).

Naturalised Distribution

Widely naturalised in south-eastern Australia (i.e. in some inland parts of southern and central New South Wales, in many parts of Victoria and in south-eastern South Australia). Also recorded as naturalised in the coastal districts of south-western Western Australia, but there are no recent collections from this state.

Notes

Sticky Cape gooseberry (Physalis viscosa) is regarded as an environmental weed in Victoria and South Australia. It was recently also listed as a priority environmental weed in two Natural Resource Management regions.