Can anyone identify this plant?

[OnEarth]

I want to know what the red papery pods are hanging next to the braided garlic. My google-fu has failed me in figuring this out, and it doesn't mention it in the associated article. Any help would be appreciated.

http://www.mofga.org/Publications/MaineOrganicFarmerGardener/Winter20082009/Garlic/tabid/1029/Default.aspx

[Daffodil]

Looks like Chinese lantern (also known as Japanese lantern, among other things.)  Here's the Wikipedia page on it:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physalis_alkekengi

[OnEarth]

Thanks! That's one of the prettier plants I've seen. I wonder if they were the original inspiration for Japanese/Chinese lanterns. I wonder what it tastes like.

[Ldavis24]

They are so lovely, we used to grow those at the commercial nursery I worked at...They were one of my favorites...

I don't recall if you can eat them..I think inside the little "lanterns" you can eat the seed pod or something...It was years ago though so my memory might be failing me.

[GoBecGo]

Aren't they like physalis?  They have a sort of tomatoey-ish fruit inside the lantern bit....?

[Ldavis24]

Originally Posted by GoBecGo 

Aren't they like physalis?  They have a sort of tomatoey-ish fruit inside the lantern bit....?

Physalis is their latin name I believe!

When I worked at the nursery we used the latin name for everything...I have forgotten more than I can even remember (oh wow I need to wake up!)...

[GoBecGo]

I only remember physalis because i once saw them in a fruit shop and said to the (hunky male) teller "when i see physalis i always think "syphilis", do you suffer from that?" 

[Ldavis24]

Originally Posted by GoBecGo 

I only remember physalis because i once saw them in a fruit shop and said to the (hunky male) teller "when i see physalis i always think "syphilis", do you suffer from that?" 

wait, just to be clear, those words came out of your mouth??

[GoBecGo]

Oh yeah, they did.  Queued by my brain and said by my mouth, apparently neither of them checked in with the other to see WHAT THE HECK THEY WERE DOING!

In my (paltry) defence, it was very early on a Monday morning and i was on my way to work.  I was buying grapes.  No possibility of mistaking those for an STD...  The guy did at least laugh (at me, not with me) so i guess i am glad he realised right away that i was an idiot and not seriously enquiring after his sexual health.

[Owen'nZoe]

Originally Posted by GoBecGo 

I only remember physalis because i once saw them in a fruit shop and said to the (hunky male) teller "when i see physalis i always think "syphilis", do you suffer from that?" 

 Thank you for giving me my laugh for the day!