Botany
Am erect, branched, hairy annual herb, growing up to 0.8 meters high. The branches are terete and often tinged with puple; the ultimate ones slightly angular. Leaves are ovate, 6 to 12 cm long, 4.5 go 7 cm wide, with pointed tips, rounded or slightly heart-shaped base, nearly entire or faintly undulately lobed margins. Flowers are solitary, axillary, aboout 8 mm long. Corolla is pale yellow, with 5 large, purple spots at the base inside. The fruit is round, fleshy and edible, about 1 cm in diameter. The inflated and accrescent calyx is ovoid, aboout 3 cm long, 2 cm in diameter, green, with 5 prominent and alternating slender and purplish ribs.

Distribution
Common in open, waste places at low altitudes up to 1,600 meters.

Characteristics
Fruit is alterative, diuretic, aperient.

Parts utilized
Roots, leaves, fruits.

Uses
Nutritional
Fruit is edible.
Folkloric
Root is used as vermifuge.
Root extract used for fever.
Decoction of roots also used for diabetes.
Poultice of leaves, oiled and heated, applied to ulcers.
Decoction of leaves used for gonorrhea; also, diuretic.
Fruit used for gout and also used to infuse vigor.
Plant paste made with rice water used to restore flaccid breasts.
Poultice of fruits used for headaches and intestinal pains.

Availability
Wild-crafted.