Physalis pubescens L.

Annual herbaceous plant that reaches up to 1.50 m in height. It is usually branchy and is covered in glandulous hairs. In America it is a pan-tropical species which can be found from the south of the United States, extending through warm zones of the Neotropics to the north of Argentina (CABRERA, 1983: 446; MARTÍNEZ, 1998: 110). A weed in disturbed and worked terrain, it grows in preferably damp soils. In their games, Toba- Pilagá children burst the fruits and hollow stalks of the plants. They do this with the ripe or unripe fruits of this species, when they are still covered by the inflated and globose calyx. The child places it on the palm of the hand and strikes it with the other hand, producing a loud noise as it bursts.

Physalis pubescens L.

ARGENTINA. Prov. Formosa. Dpto Patiño: El Descanso, 24º08 S 60º27 W, 28.XI.1991, Filipov & Arenas 61 (BA) [Pilagá indians].

Physalis pubescens L.

“qoto’ñi” [Pilagá indians].