Physalis alkekengi - cn: Japanese or Chinese Lantern?
I should close to to warn you adjectives; that this plant is poisonous...!
Physalis alkekengi or Japanese: hōzuki is a relative of P. peruviana (Cape Gooseberry), easily identifiable by the generous, bright orange papery covering over its fruit, resembling Chinese lantern. Native to S.Europe thro to Japan. Herbaceous perennial growing to 60cm tall, near spirally arranged leaves 6-12cm long and 4-9cm broad. White flowers with a five-lobed corolla 10-15mm across, inflated basal calyx which mature into the papery lantern 4-5cm long & broad.
NB: It is not a Cape Gooseberry to be dipped into chocolate...!
The very ripe fruit (not the lantern) is appetizing but doesn't taste righteous. It is sour, having more vitamin C than lemons. The rest of the plant, especially the leaves and unripe berries, are poisonous and can even be homicidal if eaten, contains solanine, which make potatoes green and tomato leaves poisonous.
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Lou
Answers: That's good stuff Lou - but even though this is HomeABC.nets... you are intended to pose a question to be answered to some extent than an answer to a possible question. :-)
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