{"items": [{"author": "David German", "source_link": "https://plus.google.com/111229345142780712481", "anchor": "gp-1338516722471", "service": "gp", "text": "Apparently the uvilla is also known as the \"cape gooseberry\".", "timestamp": 1338516722}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://plus.google.com/103013777355236494008", "anchor": "gp-1338517764056", "service": "gp", "text": "@David German\n Which is weird, because it's not very similar in taste or appearance to the gooseberry or the kiwi (chinese gooseberry).", "timestamp": 1338517764}, {"author": "b", "source_link": "https://plus.google.com/109680641548243670506", "anchor": "gp-1338519038148", "service": "gp", "text": "Uvilla (or similar Physalis fruits) are sometimes sold as specialty and farmer's markets in the US and Canada under the names \"cape gooseberry\" (mentioned above) and \"ground cherry\". I've seen them in LA, Montreal, and Philadelphia, and given that distribution I assume they can at least occasionally been found in the Boston area as well. Tomatillos, which are relatively easy to come by in the US, are also a Physalis fruit, and not a true tomato. Taxonomically, the eggplant also belongs to this family, but of course it has quite different culinary characteristics. I can't help you on blackberries - when I've had the opportunity to comparison-taste different cultivars I've noticed that they are in fact quite different, and I've also had the 'these ones taste different from usual' kind of experience from time to time, but I can't ID cultivars on sight.", "timestamp": 1338519038}, {"author": "David German", "source_link": "https://plus.google.com/111229345142780712481", "anchor": "gp-1338523441590", "service": "gp", "text": "@benjamin\n I just want to say that was awesome.", "timestamp": 1338523441}, {"author": "Allison", "source_link": "https://plus.google.com/103741579182942078941", "anchor": "gp-1338556218524", "service": "gp", "text": "I've only seen uvillas as \"ground cherries\" in the states. \u00a0Every time I see them I think they're funny-colored tomatillos.\n
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\nI call anything in the tomato/tomatillo/pepper/eggplant family \"nightshades.\" \u00a0While culinarily they're different, botanically they're pretty similar (plant structure and growth, care needs, etc.). \u00a0The flowers on these plants usually have a bell-shape and point down (think angel's trumpet; it's the same family), hence \"shade\", and lots of the plants in the family are toxic, hence \"night.\" Potatoes, tobacco, \u00a0and mandrake are also in this family.\n
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\nAs for the blackberries, this might give some answers:\u00a0\nhttp://www.pavuc.soton.ac.uk/fruits/fruits_factsheets/Factsheet_3_rubus_final_3006.pdf", "timestamp": 1338556218}, {"author": "Allison", "source_link": "https://plus.google.com/103741579182942078941", "anchor": "gp-1338558402735", "service": "gp", "text": "I also find it interesting that blackberries are called \"mora\" in spanish. \u00a0 It sounds really similar to morus, commonly known as mulberries, which look (and even taste) a lot like blackberries.", "timestamp": 1338558402}, {"author": "b", "source_link": "https://plus.google.com/109680641548243670506", "anchor": "gp-1338650439407", "service": "gp", "text": "@Allison\n, here's what I got from poking around wiktionary: Latin \"morus\" is mulberry tree, \"morum\" is mulberry fruit. It looks like terms relate to \"morum\" (possibly including ancient Greek \"\u03bc\u03cc\u03c1\u03bf\u03bd\", from which \"morum\" is supposed to be derived) are used for both mulberry and blackberry fruit in a number of languages (including Spanish, French, and Italian).\n
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\nThe \"mul-\" in English \"mulberry\" is also from Latin \"morum\", by a more roundabout sequence of borrowings and sound changes.", "timestamp": 1338650439}]}