A summer expedition to hunt for Physalis and allies
Physalis and related genera like Chamaesaracha and Quincula have their centers of diversity in the Southwestern U.S. and Mexico. Some of these species are edible and have been long been cultivated in North America (examples: tomatillos, groundcherries). After a great Botany meeting, Chelsea and Rocío took off in search of these taxa in Texas and New Mexico. In total, they found 10 species of Physalis, 6 of Chamaesarcha as well as the one species of Quincula! All this with only one episode of getting the car stuck in a creek bed and one trip to the hospital. You can check out some pictures from their great adventure here (just scroll towards the end - our albums are getting big!).
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fieldwork