Physalis alkekengi
L. Chinese LanternsPerennial herb to 50 cm high, rhizomatous, sparsely pubescent with long, simple hairs. Leaves alternate, 1–2 per node, ovate, to 8 cm long, to 5 cm wide, apex acute, base broadly cuneate to rounded, margins entire, sometimes with a few weakly developed teeth or lobes; petiole 1–2.5 cm long, grooved above. Flowers on pedicels 1–1.5 cm long; calyx c. 1 cm long, lobes triangular, 2–3.5 mm long; corolla 5-angled, 13–17 mm long, white or pale yellow; anthers 4 mm long; style 8–9 mm long, stigma capitate. Fruiting calyx 10-angled, to 5 cm long, showy, orange-red; berry globose, c. 1.5 cm diam.; seeds disc-shaped, broadly reniform or ovate, c. 2 mm long, yellow. Flowers summer–autumn.
Also naturalised SA. Native to Asia and Europe. Collected in Victoria at Avoca. Willis (1972, p. 548) also reported it occurring sporadically from Melbourne through to Ballarat but no specimens exist from this area to verify that they occurred there outside of cultivation.
Cultivated for its colourful fruiting calyx.