Physalis peruviana an exotic exported fruit, and is favored in breeding and cultivation programs in many countries. "P. peruviana" is closely related to the tomatillo and to the Chinese lantern, also members of the genus "Physalis". As a member of the plant family Solanaceae, it is more distantly related to a large number of edible plants, including tomato, eggplant, potato, and other members of the nightshades. Despite its name, it is not botanically related to gooseberries such as the "Ribes" gooseberry, Indian gooseberry, or Chinese gooseberry. "P. peruviana" is an annual in temperate locations, but perennial in the tropics. As a perennial,
Gooseberry are produced, singly or in pairs, from the groups of rounded, deeply crenated 3 or 5 lobed leaves. The fruit are berries, smaller in wild gooseberries than the cultivated varieties, but often of good flavour; it is generally hairy, but in one variety, smooth constituting the "R. uva-crispa" of writers. The colour of the berries is usually green, but there are red (to purple), yellow, and white variants. ("Ribes hirtellum" fruit can be green or dark purple to black.) Gooseberry growing was popular in the 19th century, as described in 1879: The gooseberry is indigenous to many parts of Europe