Cape gooseberries

Physalis peruviana

 

Review of Rare Berries

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[follow the Wikipedia links]

A few facts about cape gooseberries

Highlights

• larger than a grape but smaller than a cherry tomato
• sweet, pleasant taste, little sourness (probably low phenolic acid content)
• sometimes called by the genus name, "physalis" berries
• native to western and southern South America but its reputation and name derive from South Africa where it was introduced in the 1800s on the Cape of Good Hope
• popular as a low-volume hobby or cash crop in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand
• a relative of the tomato, potato and wolfberry (goji) plant family, Solanaceae
• popular in fresh fruit cocktails, chutneys, pies, jams, puddings
• reputation for high carotenoid (antioxidant) content, evident by its yellow-orange pigmentation

 

 

Cape gooseberry is not botanically related to

• Indian gooseberry ("amla" or "amalaki"; Phyllanthus emblica L.)
• Ribes gooseberry (Ribes grossularia L.), larger cousin of blackcurrant
• Chinese gooseberry (kiwifruit; Actinidia deliciosa)

Read the Berry Doctor's report, So Many Gooseberries!

The botanical name of cape gooseberry

is Physalis peruviana L.

(where "Physalis" is the genus name - always capitalized in botanical nomenclature

- and peruviana identifies the species, not capitalized - both are always italicized;

L. means the name was introduced by Linnaeus in 1753)

 

 

Origin of the "Cape"

• cultivated by explorers and mariners settling on South Africa's Cape of Good Hope around 1810
• a paper-like mantle overlies the ripening fruit, providing external protection like a cape

 

What does science say about physalis?

• 40 chemical compounds make up the flavor profile
• micronutrients, fatty acids and beta-carotene
• anti-inflammatory activity and induces apoptosis (cell death) in laboratory experiments on tumors
• inhibits experimental inflammation of the eye, similar in efficacy to a steroid

 

Cape gooseberries (Physalis peruviana L.)

 

What about cape gooseberry's

criteria as a superfruit?

• first, check the recent superfruit series as a guide, click!
• phenolics? Do not appear to be present in significant content
• carotenoids? Likely abundant, evident by orange pigmentation
• vitamin C? No quantitative data yet, but promising based on plant genetics
• dietary fiber? Significant, by preliminary evidence

Reading

• Morton, J. 1987. Cape Gooseberry. p. 430–434. In: Fruits of warm climates. Julia F. Morton, Miami, FL (Purdue University, Department of Horticulture)

• California Rare Fruit Growers Association