A woody climbing plant (Solanum dulcamara), also called bittersweet, with purple flowers and red berries, used historically in herbal medicine.
From Italian 'ducamara,' a name of unclear ultimate origin that may derive from Arabic or medieval medical texts; the plant name traveled through trade routes.
Ducamara's common name 'bittersweet' perfectly describes the plant's poisonous berries that taste sweet then bitter—medieval doctors believed this duality made it medicinal, when it was actually just dangerous!
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