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P H Y 
This genus of plants is ranged in the firft feftion of 
Linnaeus’s fifth clafs, which includes thofe plants 
whole flowers have five ftamma and one ftyle. 
The Species are, 
1. Physalis (' Alkekengi ) foliis geminis integris acutis, 
Gaule herbaceo inferne fubramofo. Lin. Sp. Plant. 
262. Phy falls with two leaves at a joint , which are 
Jharp-pointed , and an herbaceous ft alk which branches at 
bottom. Alkekengi officinarum. Tourn. Inft. R, H. 
1 5 1 . The common or officinal Winter Cherry. 
2. Physalis ( Vifcofa ) foliis geminis repandis obtufis 
fubtomentofis, caule herbaceo fuperne paniculato. 
Lin. Sp. 261. Winter Cherry with leaves growing by 
pairs , which are obtufe , a little woolly , and an herbaceous 
ftalk. Alkekengi Bonarienfe repens, bacca turbinat-a 
vifcofa. Creeping Winter Cherry of Buenos Ayres , with a 
vifcous turbinated berry. 
3. Physalis ( Penfylvanica ) radice perenni, caule pro- 
cufnbente, foliis ovatis acute dentatis, petiolis longif- 
fimis. Pkyfalis with a perennial root , a trailing ftalk , and 
oval leaves which are acutely indented , and have very long 
foot-Jlalks. Alkekengi Virginianum perenne majus, 
fiore luteo amplo, frudtu minimo. Rand. Act. Phil. 
N° 399. Greater perennial Virginia Winter Cherry , with 
a large yellow flower and a fmall fruit. 
4. Physalis ( Virginiana ) caule herbaceo, foliis ovato- 
lanceolatis acute dentatis. tab. 206. fig. 1. Winter 
Cherry with an herbaceous ftalk , and oval fpear-fhaped 
leaves which are acutely indented. 
5. Physalis ( Curaffavica ) caule fuffruticofo, foliis ovatis 
tomentofis integerrimis. Phyfalis with a fhrubby ftalk , 
and oval downy leaves which are entire. Alkekengi 
Curaffavicum, foliis origani incanis, fiore viete fui- 
phureo, fundo purpureo. Boerh. Ind. alt. 2. p. 66. 
Winter Cherry of Curaffiao with hoary Origany leaves , 
and a rufty fulphur-coloured flower with a purple bottom. 
6 . Physalis ( Somnifera ) caule fruticofo, ramis redtis, 
floribus confertis. Lin. Sp. Plant. 180. Phyfalis with 
a fhrubby ftalk , ere hi branches , and flowers growing in 
clufters. Alkekengi frudtu parvo verticillato. Tourn. 
Inft. 15 1. Winter Cherry with a fmall fruit growing in 
whorls. 
7. Physalis ( Flexuofa ) caule fruticofo, ramis flexuofis, 
floribus confertis. Lin. Sp. Plant. 182. Phyfalis with 
a fhrubby ftalk , flexible branches , and flowers growing in 
clufters. Baccifera Indica, floribus ad foliorum exor- 
tus, frudtu fulcato decapyreno. Raii Hift 1632. In- 
dian berry -bearing Plant , with flowers coming out from 
the foot-ftalks of the leaves , and a furrowed fruit contain- 
ing ten feeds. 
8. Physalis ( Arbor efcens ) foliis ovato-lanceolatis inte- 
gerrimis oppofitis, caule fruticofo. tab. 206. fig. 2. 
Phyfalis with oval , fpear-fhaped , entire leaves which are 
placed oppojite, and a fhrubby ftalk. Alkekengi Ameri- 
canum arborefcens, fructu fphamco rubro, vefica 
atro-purpurea. Houft. MSS. Tree American Winter 
Cherry , with a red fpherical fruit and a deep pur pie- co- 
loured bladder. 
9. Physalis ( Ramofa ) ramofiflima, foliis villofo-vif- 
cofis floribus pendculis. Lin. Sp. Plant. 262. The moft 
branching Phyfalis with hairy vifcous leaves , and nod- 
ding flowers. Alkekengi Virginianum frudtu luteo. 
Tourn. Inft. 151. Virginia Winter Cherry with a yel- 
low fruit. 
10. Physalis ( Angulata ) ramofiflima, ramis angulatis 
glabris, Toiiis ovatis dentatis. Lin. Sp. Plant. 262. 
The moft branching Phyfalis with angular fmooth branches. 
Alkekengi Indicum majus. Tourn. Inft. 15 1. Greater 
Indian Whits Cherry. . 
11. Physalis ( Minima ) ramofiflima, foliis ovatis acu- 
minatis fubdentatis petiolis longioribus. Very branching 
Phyfalis , with oval acute-pointed leaves which are fome- 
what indented, and have longer foot-ftalks. Alkekengi 
Indicum minimum, frudtu virefeente. Tourn. Inft. 
151. The leaf Indian Winter Cherry with a greenifh fruit. 
12. Physalis {Patula) ramofiflima patula, ramis annu- 
laris giabris, foliis lanceolatis pinnato-dentatis. The 
moft branching fpreading Pkyfalis , with fmooth angular 
branches , and fpear-fhaped leaves which arc indented like 
■wings. 
P H Y 
V* 1 / 
13. Physalis (, Villafa ) ramofiflima, ramis viilofis, fo- 
liis ovatis acuminatis lerrato-dentatls. The moft branch- 
ing Phyfalis with hairy branches , and oval acute-pointed 
leaves , which are indented like a flaw. Alkekengi Ame- 
ricanum, annuum, ramofiffimum, villofum, frudtn 
rotundo ex luteo virefeente. Houft. MSS. The moft 
branchings annual , hairy's American Winter Cherrys with 
a rounds yellowijh, green fruit. 
14. Physalis {Cor data) caule eredto ramofo, foliis 
ovatis ferrato-dentatis, petiolis pedunculifque longif- 
fimis. Phyfalis with an ereli branching ft alk 9 oval , in- 
denteds flawed leaves , and the foot-ftalks of the leaves and 
flowers very long. Alkekengi Americanum annuum, 
lamii folio, fructu cordato. Houft. MSS. Annual 
American Winter Cherry , with a dead Nettle leaf and a . 
hear t-ftoapea fruit. . 4 
15. Physalis {Maxima) caule ereeto ramofo, foliis 
ovato-lanceolatis yifeofis, frudtu maxima cordato. 
Phyfalis with an erect branching ftalk , ovals fpear-fhapeds 
vifcous leaveSs and a large heart-Jhaped fruit. Alke- 
kengi Americanum annuum, maximum vifeofum. 
Houft. MSS. The largejfl annual , vifcous , American 
Winter Cherry. 
18. Physalis {Peruviana) caule eredto ramofo, ramis 
angulatis, foliis finuatis, calycibus acutangulis. Phy- 
falis with an ere It branching ft alk , angular branches, jinu- 
ated leaves s and empalements having acute angles. Al- 
kekengi amplo fiore violaceo. Feuill. Obfi 724. tab. 
1 6. Winter Cherry with a large Violet -coloured flower. 
The firft fort is the common Winter Cherry which is 
ufed in medicine •, this grows naturally in Spain and 
Italy, but has been long cultivated in the Englifli gar- 
dens. The roots of this are perennial, and creep in 
the ground to a great diftance, if they are not confined ; 
thefe fhoot up many ftaiks in the fpring, which rife 
about a foot high or better, and are garnilhed with 
leaves of various fliapes ; fome are angular and ob- 
tufe, others are oblong and acute-pointed, of a dark 
green, and generally there are two leaves coming 
out from the fame point on the fame fide of the ftalk , 
they have long foot-ftalks. The flowers are produced 
from the wings of the ftaiks, branding upon {lender 
foot-ftalks, having one white petal which has a 
fhort tube, and is cut at the brim into five angles 
fpreading open. In the center of the tube is fituated 
a roundilh germen, fupporting a (lender ftyle crowned 
by an obtufe ftigma ; this is accompanied by five 
ftamina of the fame length, terminated by oblong, 
ered, yellow fummits which join together. The flowers 
appear in July, and are fucceeded by round berries 
about the fize of fmall Cherries, inclofed in an in- 
flated bladder, which turns red in the autumn, when 
the top opens, and dilciofes the red berry, which is 
foft, pulpy, and filled with flat kidney-fhaped feeds. 
Soon after the fruit is ripe, the ftaiks decay to the 
roots. 
This plant is eafily propagated, either by feeds or 
parting the roots ; the latter being the moft expedi- 
tious method is generally practifed. Thefe roots may- 
be tranlplanted and parted, any time after the ftaiks 
decay, till the roots begin to flioot in the fpring ; they 
love a fhady fituation, and ftiould be confined, other- 
wife they will ramble to a great diftance in one year, 
and when the ftaiks ftand at a diftance they make 
no appearance. Their only beauty is in autumn, when 
the fruit is ripe, at which time their red bladders open- 
ing and difclofing the Clierry-ihaped fruit, make a 
pretty appearance. 
The leaves of this plant are cooling, and of the 
nature of common Nightfhade ; the berries are a An- 
gular good diuretic, and ufeful againft the gravel and 
(tone. 1 here has been feveral inftances of their great 
virtue in bringing away great quantities of gravel, 
when other remedies have been tried without" fuccefs. 
The berries boiled in milk, and fweetened with fu- 
gar, cure the heat of the urine, making bloody wa- 
ter, and ulcers in the kidneys and bladder. 
The fecond fort grows naturally at Buenos Ayres ; this 
hath a creeping root, by which it multiplies very faft, 
fending up a great number of fmooth ftaiks about a 
10 I foot 
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