[Wikipedia] Range, Description, Uses: Physalis longifolia, known by the common names common groundcherry, longleaf groundcherry,[1] and wild tomatillo,[2] is a species of flowering plant in the nightshade family, Solanaceae. It is native to North America, where it is native to eastern Canada, much of the continental United States,[1] and northern Mexico. It has also been noted as an introduced species in other regions,[3] including parts of the United States outside its native range. In some areas, such as California, it is an occasional noxious weed.[4][5] This species is a perennial herb growing 20?60 cm (7.9?23.6 in) tall with somewhat oval-shaped leaf blades 4?7 cm (1.6?2.8 in) long borne on petioles. Flowers occur in the leaf axils. The bell-shaped corolla is up to 2 cm (0.79 in) wide and is yellow with purplish markings around the center. The husk covering the berry is up to 3.5 cm (1.4 in) long with ten veins.[4] There are two varieties:[3][6] P. longifolia var. longifolia P. longifolia var. subglabrata (syn. P. subglabrata) Uses The yellow-green fruit is edible. The fresh fruit "tastes like an effervescent, under-ripened strawberry", and the dried berry "tastes like a cross between a raisin and dried cranberry."[2] Native American groups used it for food. The Puebloan peoples called the fruits charoka and shuma charoka and ate them fresh or cooked.[2] The Zuni people referred to the plant and its relative Physalis hederifolia as Ke?tsitokia, and probably used them in similar ways. Women grew it in household gardens. The tomato-flavored berry was boiled and ground with onion, coriander, and chilis to make a dish considered to be a delicacy. The fruit was also dried and mixed into flour for bread. Today the Zuni use the closely related common tomatillo (P. philadelphica) in a sauce recipe derived from the traditional dishes that used wild species.[2] The var. subglabrata has been listed in government compendia of Louisiana restricted taxa believed to be hallucinogenic, but this is likely inaccurate.[2] P. longifolia is easy to grow in trials and produces a flavorful fruit.[2] (link added by Mary Ann Machi)

[blogs.cdfa.ca.gov] Noxious weed designation: Physalis virginiana var. sonorae, a synonym of Physalis longifolia (USDA GRIN, 2022), has been previously rated A by the CDFA and is designated as a noxious weed as defined by the California Food and Agricultural Code (FAC) Section 5004 and is listed in Title 3, California Code of Regulations (CCR), Section 4500. A pest risk proposal is needed to assess the current status and rating of this taxon. (link added by Mary Ann Machi)