Physalis ixocarpa, Brot.

P. ixocarpa View in CoL

is locally called Tamatargay or China Tamatar. Morphologically it looks like a tomato and commonly found in tropical and subtropical condition ( Figure 1 View Figure 1 ). It is an annual herb and grows up to 4-5 feet. Plant body consists of stem, dichotomous branches, leaves, flowers, and fruits. Leaf is 6.53 cm long, 3.63 cm broad and smooth, ovate with poor leaf dentation. Flowers are yellow in color with purple spots in the form of star-like structure is present in their petals ( Figure 2 View Figure 2 ). Petals are yellow

in color, 8-10 mm long and campanulate. Anthers are blue or yellowish in color, 2-4 mm long and gynoecium bicarpellary, syncarpous and oblique. The fruits are fleshy globose berry, light orange or lemon in color with 3-6 cm in diameter ( Figure 3 View Figure 3 ). Internally fruit consists of three layers epicarp, mesocarp, and endocarp. Epicarp is thin, while mesocarp and endocarp are fleshy. Fruits are different in size, number and weight. The largest fruits develop from

the first flowers of the main branches.The fruit is enclosed in husk known as Calyx.Calyx is 4-5 cm long and its color change into yellowish brown on maturity. Below the calyx sticky material is present on the outer surface of fruit with potent anti-inflammatory activity, which we have been reported in the previous study ( Zhang et al., 2016). Seeds are 2.5mm long with pitted testa, which is numerous, yellowish brown and endospermic.

Low temperature upsets the growth of the plant and makes it slow at temperatures of 16-18 °C or less. The life cycle of the reported plant starts from May and finished in November as the snowfall starts in Shangla district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Plant starts flowering from September and ends in November. Flowers are pollinated by bees .

3.3. Distribution of P. ixocarpa

Sandy and well-drained soil favor plant growth. According to information of National Plant Germplasm System USDA ( USA), seventeen accessions of P. ixocarpa have been reported from different parts of the world.These include PI 291560 ( India), PI 270459 ( Mexico), PI 512011 ( Mexico), PI 662847 ( Mexico),PI 512010 ( Mexico), PI 512009 ( Mexico), PI 512006 ( Mexico),PI 512005 ( Mexico), PI 512007 ( Mexico) PI 290968 ( Argentina), PI 360740 ( Ecuador), PI 662844 ( Mexico), PI 662843 ( Mexico), PI 309812 ( Mexico), PI 512008 ( Mexico), PI 662846 (California, United States) and PI 662845 (California, United States). Besides these accessions, here we are reporting P. ixocarpa from Pakistan.

3.4. The geographical locality of P. ixocarpa

In the western mountainous region of district Shangala KPK Pakistan, the plant specimens are found in different localities of Bayleybaba area, especially in Bar and Koz Kana. Bar Kana and Koz kana is situated between north latitude 34°-5504”-95’, 34°-5742”-57’ and east longitude 72°-9522”-35’, 72°-4449”-74’ respectively. Similarly, Bayleybaba area is present between east longitude 72°- 4054”-63’ and north latitude 34°-5334”-44’ according to GPS reading. The geographical map of the plant reported area is shown in Figure 4. View Figure 4

3.5. Morphometric differentiation of the non-reported P. ixocarpa with available species of Physalis in Pakistan

Morphological features of the P. ixocarpa shown in Table 1 View Table 1 were noted during the present study which makes it different from the other existing species found in Pakistan.

3.6. Medicinal and economic importance

P. ixocarpa is cultivated as vegetable crop in USA and Mexico. It produces fruit, commonly called tomatillo. Traditionally, tomatillo is an important component of many sauces and Mexican dishes ( Zhang et al., 2016). It is also used in folk medicine to relieve cough and fever ( Maldonado et al., 2011). The leaves and calyx are also used in traditional medicine and rich of polyphenol ( Khan et al., 2016a). Anolides and withanolides are the important bioactive compounds have been reported in different parts of this plant ( Yang et al., 2021). Furthermore, cytotoxic activity, antimicrobial potential and apoptotic activities have also documented in previous studies ( Choi et al., 2006; Khan et al., 2016b).