Ground-cherry
General poisoning notes:
Ground-cherry (Physalis peruviana) is an ornamental herb that is grown for its ripe fruits, which are used for making preserves. The immature fruits contain sufficient solanine to cause gastroenteritis and diarrhea if ingested. Children should be discouraged from eating the fruits (Lampe and McCann 1985).
Nomenclature:
Scientific Name: Physalis peruviana L.
Vernacular name(s): ground-cherry
Scientific family name: Solanaceae
Vernacular family name: nightshade
Physalis peruviana L.
Geographic Information
Plant or plant parts used in or around the home.
Toxic parts:
Immature fruit
Notes on Toxic plant chemicals:
Solanine, a bitter glycoalkaloid, is found in the unripened berries (Lampe and McCann 1985).
Toxic plant chemicals:
solanine
Chemical diagram(s) are courtesy of Ruth McDiarmid, Biochemistry Technician, Kamloops Range Station, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Kamploops, British Columbia, Canada.
Animals/Human Poisoning:
Note: When an animal is listed without additional information, the literature (as of 1993) contained no detailed explanation.
Humans
General symptoms of poisoning:
Diarrhea, fever, gastroenteritis
Notes on poisoning:
Symptoms of ingestion include gastroenteritis, diarrhea, and fever, with a scratchy feeling in the throat a few hours after ingestion. Children are more susceptible to poisoning than adults (Lampe and McCann 1985).
