''Quincula'' is a

monotypic In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group (taxon) that contains only one immediately subordinate taxon. A monotypic species is one that does not include subspecies or smaller, infraspecific taxa. In the case of genera, the term "unispec ...

genus of

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...

s in the

nightshade The Solanaceae , or nightshades, are a family of flowering plants that ranges from annual and perennial herbs to vines, lianas, epiphytes, shrubs, and trees, and includes a number of agricultural crops, medicinal plants, spices, weeds, and orna ...

family,

Solanaceae The Solanaceae , or nightshades, are a family of flowering plants that ranges from annual and perennial herbs to vines, lianas, epiphytes, shrubs, and trees, and includes a number of agricultural crops, medicinal plants, spices, weeds, and orn ...

. The sole species it contains, ''Quincula lobata'', is commonly known as Chinese lantern, lobed groundcherry, or purple groundcherry. This plant is also classified as ''Physalis lobata'' in genus ''

Physalis ''Physalis'' (, , , , from φυσαλλίς ''phusallís'' "bladder") is a genus of approximately 75 to 90 flowering plants in the Solanum, nightshade family (biology), family (Solanaceae), which are native to the Americas and Australasia. At l ...

''.

Distribution

It is native to the

southwestern United States The Southwestern United States, also known as the American Southwest or simply the Southwest, is a geographic and cultural region of the United States that generally includes Arizona, New Mexico, and adjacent portions of California, Colorado, Ne ...

as far east as

Kansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the ...

and

Oklahoma Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...

, as well as northern

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

, where it grows in many types of open, dry habitat, including disturbed areas.

Description

It is a

perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...

herb In general use, herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables and other plants consumed for macronutrients, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicinal ...

producing ridged, spreading stems up to half a meter long. The lance-shaped leaves are up to 7 centimeters long, smooth or lobed on the edges. The flowers blooming from the leaf axils are up to 2 centimeters wide, widely bell-shaped or flat-faced with five vague, pointed lobes, not drooping like those of many ''Physalis'' species. They are purple in color, sometimes with white deep in the throats. The bell-shaped calyx of

sepal A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106 The term ''sepalum'' was coined b ...

s at the base of the flower enlarges as the fruit develops, becoming an inflated, lanternlike structure up to 2 centimeters long which contains the

berry A berry is a small, pulpy, and often edible fruit. Typically, berries are juicy, rounded, brightly colored, sweet, sour or tart, and do not have a stone or pit, although many pips or seeds may be present. Common examples are strawberries, raspb ...

. Phylogenetic studies suggest that ''Quincula'' is closely related to the small North American genus '' Chamaesaracha''.

References

External links

Calflora Database: ''Physalis lobata'' (Lobed ground cherry)
— ''formerly Quincula lobata''.
Jepson Manual eFlora treatment
— ''formerly Quincula lobata''.
Kansas WildflowersUC Photos gallery of ''Physalis lobata'' (''Quincula lobata'')
Physaleae Monotypic Solanaceae genera Flora of Northwestern Mexico Flora of the Southwestern United States Flora of the South-Central United States Flora of Baja California Flora of the California desert regions Taxa named by Constantine Samuel Rafinesque Flora without expected TNC conservation status {{Solanales-stub