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The Himalayan honeysuckle (Leycesteria formosa) belongs to Caprifoliaceae (the Honeysuckle family). It is a deciduous shrub that is distributed in the Himalayas and western China and eastern Tibet. It grows in forests and grows 90 to 180 cm tall. The stems are erect like hollow bamboos, and the dark green, ovate leaves are arranged in pairs. The flowers are encased in deep red bract leaves. After the flowers come small, fleshy, edible purple berries that are said to taste like toffee or caramel. In Chinese, it is called a "鬼吹簫" (gui chui xiao).
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