Wild gooseberry
StarPhysalis minima
Western Herbalism Properties
Traditional Uses
In Ayurvedic and South Asian folk medicine, the whole plant of Physalis minima (Tankari) is used as a diuretic and bitter tonic, and is applied for urinary disorders, fever and as an alterative; the ripe fruit is eaten and is regarded as a mild laxative and appetiser (Khare, 2007; Nadkarni, 1976). In Southeast Asian, African and Australian Aboriginal practice the plant has been used similarly as a diuretic and for skin and febrile complaints, and the ripe berries are eaten as a bush food (Quattrocchi, 2012).
Gallery
Botanical Description
Physalis minima L. is a slender annual herb of the Solanaceae widely distributed through the tropics and subtropics of Asia, Africa and Australia, naturalised on disturbed ground, field margins and roadside thickets. Plants grow 30–60 cm tall, with erect to spreading, finely pubescent, dichotomously branching stems. The alternate leaves are ovate to broadly lanceolate, 3–8 cm long, with shallowly sinuate-dentate margins. Small solitary flowers nod in the leaf axils on slender pedicels, each with a five-lobed yellow corolla often marked with dark blotches in the throat and blue-tipped anthers. After flowering the calyx enlarges into a pale, papery, ten-ribbed bladder that fully encloses the small, yellow, sweet-tart edible berry — the diagnostic Physalis husk. In Ayurveda it is known as Tankari (तंकारी) and is a recognised folk medicine across South and Southeast Asia.
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.
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