Plants › nightshade family
Japanese-lantern
Alkekengi officinarum
28 photos
Study shows up to four per card, from different observers, so you learn the species rather than one picture. Heart the good ones and swap any you do not like.
Photos you add are credited to you, and you keep the copyright.
Easily confused with
cutleaf groundcherryPhysalis angulata
long-leaved groundcherryPhysalis longifolia
Bitter MelonMomordica charantia
Cape gooseberryPhysalis peruviana
clammy groundcherryPhysalis heterophylla
Carolina horsenettleSolanum carolinense
black nightshadeSolanum nigrum
apple-of-PeruNicandra physalodes
Study checks a spoken answer against these, and tells you which one you named.
Where it is recorded
| United States | 4,370 |
|---|---|
| Alaska | 3,419 |
| Russia | 926 |
| Canada | 751 |
| Ontario | 501 |
| Austria | 396 |
| Italy | 333 |
| Germany | 311 |
| Ukraine | 273 |
| New York | 230 |
Counts show where people looked, not only where it lives.
Traits
Group and habits
- Human edibleListed as edible by a harvested source. This is a research trait, not foraging advice.Kew World Checklist of Useful Plant Species
- Toxic to humansListed as toxic or not suitable as food for humans by a harvested source.Kew World Checklist of Useful Plant Species
- Medicinal useListed as having medicinal use by a harvested source. This is not medical advice.Kew World Checklist of Useful Plant Species
- Restoration or landscaping useListed as being used for restoration, landscaping, ornamental planting, erosion control, soil improvement, shade, windbreaks, pollution indicators, or wastewater purification.Kew World Checklist of Useful Plant Species
Edibility, toxicity and medicinal traits are records from datasets, not advice. Never eat, handle or use a wild species on the strength of an app.
Classification
| Kingdom | Plants · Plantae |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Vascular Plants · Tracheophyta |
| Class | Dicots · Magnoliopsida |
| Order | nightshades, bindweeds, gooseweeds, and allies · Solanales |
| Family | nightshade family · Solanaceae |
| Genus | Japanese-lanterns · Alkekengi |
Study it in a deck
Or build your own from the species near you.
Sources
- Names, taxonomy and observation counts: www.inaturalist.org
- Photos and recordings: the creator and source are on each one.
- Traits: Kew World Checklist of Useful Plant Species (CC BY 4.0)
- How much to rely on each source
Remember the name next time.
Practise Japanese-lantern with real photos from different observers. Say the name out loud, and it comes back just before you would forget it.