Bot. Forms: 5 alkenkengy, 6 alkakinge, 6–7 alkakengie, 7 alkakeng(e, alcakengie, 8 alkakengi. [med.L. alkekengi f. Arab. al-kākanj, al-kākenj, i.e., al the + Pers. kākanj a ‘kind of medicinal resin from a tree growing in the mountains of Herat.’ Freytag. ‘Nightshade,’ Hopkins, Pers. Dict. Cf. It. alcachengi, Sp. alquequenje, Fr. alkékenge, which also appears as an earlier Eng. form.]
1. A plant (Physalis Alkekengi Linn.) N.O. Solanaceæ, also called Winter-Cherry from its ornamental scarlet fruit.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., Alkenkengy, herbe morub. Morella rubea.
1551. Turner, Herbal, II. 142. Alkakinge … hath the same vertue that gardin nyghtshad hath.
1597. Gerard, Herbal, II. lii. 271. The red winter Cherrie is called … in English red Nightshade … and Alkakengie.
1605. Timme, Quersit., III. 181. Take of alkakeng berries, twenty in number.
1676. Bullokar, Alkakangi.
1742. Bailey, Alkakengi, winter cherry, the Fruit of one sort of the Plant Night-shade.
1783. Ainsworth, Thesaur., Halicacabus, a red winter cherry, red nightshade, alkakengy.
