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Re: A found plant

On Fri 11 Sep, Windy wrote:
> We live next door to the end of a subdivision of houses. It is the last
> lot and unimproved. It is also an area of the country where we have
> recently moved to, Alabama.
>  I like going into this lot and observing the wildflowers that pop up.
>  Well, I found this vine trailing in the grass. It looks to have a
> baloon type of seed pod. It almost looks translucent. It reminds me of a
> chinese lantern shape. Inside are two hard half black/half white pea
> shaped seeds. When the seeds are immature they look like green peas. 
>  I thought it looked pretty interesting and saved the seeds. Does anyone
> have any idea what this plant is? The leaves were already wilted from
> the drought so I can't get a clear look at what shape they are, maybe a
> maple type leaf.
>  Thanks,
>  WIndy
 Not a lot to go on,  Put all the clues together, what
 was the plot before it was a house lot, have neighbours been dumping
 garden waste, what do they know of the native flora etc. Above all,
 guard those seeds and sow them, keep a record of all stages of growth
 (if any) and also watch that plot next year for any others growing
 there naturally.
 The physalis family is suggested (physalis is greek for
 bladder,referring to the lanterns). What I know of the physalis family
 are
 p.al kaendi(syn.franchetti)=chinese lantern, orange lanterns with a
 pea-like seed , p. peruviana, p.edulis Cape gooseberry, grown for its
 fruit, needs a sunny clime in which it is rampant.Leaves as I remember
 are all spade shape.We once made a pot of edulis jam,quite nice but a
 lot of work for what you get.

-- 
Allan Day  Hereford HR2 7AU allan@crwys.demon.co.uk
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