Has anyone seen this plant before?
Initially I was not sure if this is Chinese Lantern or Cape Gooseberry or Wild Gooseberry plants.
My neighbour brought back a few wild plants after her visit to her hometown,Kota Belud. These plants are not easy to find in Kota Kinabalu any more. She gave one to me. I didn't know the name of the plant, but I remembered it as a child, I enjoyed eating the fruits from this kind of plant. In those days they were easily found in the jungle, Now the area is well developed, Trees were cut, roads were built and buildings were made. The jungle had quickly disappeared, so were the wild berries and animals. Later, big monsoon drains were all over the place.
When I posted the photo of this plant to all my friends, I managed to get a few names from it.
One friend, who was an ex lecturer from the university, gave me the scientific name,
physalis angulata or physalis nahaufnahme, while another friend who sells plants said it's Cape gooseberry. With the names of the plant, it was easier for me to google in details about them.
One friend, who was an ex lecturer from the university, gave me the scientific name,
physalis angulata or physalis nahaufnahme, while another friend who sells plants said it's Cape gooseberry. With the names of the plant, it was easier for me to google in details about them.
These wild berries have many names by the locals.
The Dusun called it Lapak Lapak, while the Kadazan called it Kalapakon. The Chinese called it Pak Zai and in Tamil,it's Dappa palam. Whether its the Chinese Lantern or Cape gooseberry , it's definately a Physalis.
Like me, most of my friends ate them before, when they were kids and have the same review as me, that the fruits were tasty. Some played with it, by "banging" the berries on their forehead, just to hear the 'pop' sound.😲 A few of them said,their grand parents boiled the whole plants for medicinal purposes,especially those who stayed deep in the jungle, out of reach for medical care and facilities.
With Mr Google, I manage to find out the differences of these 3 plants.
Cape gooseberry (Physalis Peruvian a) - yellow flower has 5 dark blotches at the base of the corolla.
- yellowish orange fruit with sweet sour taste.
- pale brown husk surrounding the fruit
Chinese Lantern (Physalis alkekengi) - white flower has has no markings on the corolla .- yellowish orange fruit with sweet sour taste.
- pale brown husk surrounding the fruit
- fruit has bright orange red colour and it's tasteless.
- bright orange husk surrounding the fruit.
- Hardy perennial plant
-Unripe fruits and leaves are highly toxic.
- bright orange husk surrounding the fruit.
- Hardy perennial plant
-Unripe fruits and leaves are highly toxic.
Wild Cape gooseberry (Physalis minima
- yellow flower has 5 dark blotches at the base of the corolla
- fruits are primrose color with a sweet bitter taste.
- light brown husk surrounding the fruit
- annual herbaceous plant
- plants are bitter (medical purpose)but the fruits are juicy with a pleasant sweet taste.
Research shows that the Wild Cape gooseberry plant has anti-cancerous properties, anti-diabetic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-pyretic and other wide ethno medicinal uses.
When I read the blog of Sarawakiana@2 , the village folks in Miri, Sarawak use these plants to control high blood pressure and the flowers as tea for headache remedies
Wild Cape Gooseberry flowers
5 dark blotches at the base of the corolla.
Light brown husk surrounding the fruit
Wild Cape goose berry - Primrose coloured fruit with pale brown husk.
Wild Cape goose berry - is pale yellowish in color with juicy fruit
Strawberry cake
Blueberry Cake
Cape Gooseberry (Peruviana) fruits are popular as decorations on cakes and desserts.
Columbian Physalis Golden Berries.
Cape Gooseberry(P. Peruviana)
Wild Cape Gooseberry (P. Minima)
Cape goose berry (P. Peruviana) fruit has bright yellowish orange colour with a sweet sour taste. They are edible but unripe fruits and the plants may be toxic.
Wild goose berry ( P. Minima) fruit has pale yellow fruit with a mild bitter sweet taste. They are edible including the whole plants which are used for medicinal purposes.
References:
Lapak lapak.yeah this liitle wild trees usually grow outside my house, and when the fruits are riped, i used to pluck and enjoy its sweetness. Didnt know scientifically it is anticancerous.... Tq for sharing
ReplyDeleteI don't know myself too, Beth. Until I read a few scientific article and showed what this plant can really do. We should be blessed that our nature are filled with medicinal plants and they are natural remedies.
DeleteWe call this kalapakon. I have it at my backyard.
ReplyDeleteGood to hear that you have them in your backyard. When I read a blog from sarawakiana@2, she encourage to plant one in the garden
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