The Collaborative International Dictionary
Alkekengi \Al`ke*ken"gi\, n. [Cf. F. alk['e]kenge, Sp.
alquequenje, ultimately fr. Ar. al-k[=a]kanj a kind of resin
from Herat.] (Bot.)
An herbaceous plant of the nightshade family ( Physalis
alkekengi) and its fruit, which is a well flavored berry,
the size of a cherry, loosely inclosed in a enlarged leafy
calyx; -- also called winter cherry, ground cherry, and
strawberry tomato.
--D. C. Eaton.
Wiktionary
n. 1 bladder cherry or Chinese lantern (''Physalis alkekengi'') 2 other species of ''Physalis'' 3 (taxlink Solanum pseudocapsicum species noshow=1) (Jerusalem cherry) 4 (taxlink Withania somnifera species noshow=1) (ashwagandha)
WordNet
n. Old World perennial cultivated for its ornamental inflated papery orange-red calyx [syn: Chinese lantern plant, bladder cherry, Physalis alkekengi]
small South American shrub cultivated as a houseplant for its abundant ornamental but poisonous red or yellow cherry-sized fruit [syn: Jerusalem cherry, Madeira winter cherry, Solanum pseudocapsicum]
Wikipedia
Winter cherry may refer to following plants, which are all Solanaceae, unrelated to actual cherries (which are Rosaceae), and do not have edible fruit (some are actually poisonous):
- Physalis alkekengi (Chinese lantern)
- other species of Physalis
- Solanum pseudocapsicum (Jerusalem cherry), especially under its synonym S. capsicastrum ("false Jerusalem cherry")
- Withania somnifera (ashwaganda)
Usage examples of "winter cherry".
The list went on and on: pot marigold and winter cherry, salvia and summer jasmine and Virginia creeperanother of Tradescant's imports from the wilds of North Americaand roses, autumn damask, rosa damascena, the White Rose of York .
Around the roots of the Winter cherry trees bright hard orbs lay scattered, as though necklaces of topaz and carnelian had broken, spilling their gems.