View source for Lycopersicum esculentum

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|genus=Lycopersicum
|species=esculentum
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Lycopersicum esculentum, Mill. (Solanum Lycopersicum, Linn.). Common Tomato. Figs. 2231, 2235. Plant spreading, with grayish green, mostly conduplicate (''curled") lvs. and slender, ascending shoots: lvs. pinnate, with small, nearly entire lfts. interposed, the main lfts. notched or even lobed toward the base: fls. in a short raceme of 4-6: fr. medium to small, flattened endwise and furrowed on the sides.—In cult, for more than 300 years. Two hundred years ago red and yellow varieties were known. The great evolution of the tomato did not take place until last century, giving rise to the garden race. The plant sometimes escapes from cult, and runs wild for a time.

Var. vulgare, Bailey. Fig. 2232, No. 2. This is the common garden tomato of N. Amer., distinguished by very heavy growth, greener foliage, much larger and plane lvs., the comparative absence of stiffish ascending shoots (in the mature plant), few fls., and larger, "smoother" (i. e., not furrowed) fr., which has numerous locules or cells.—There is every reason for believing that the original tomato had a 2-loculed (2-celled) fr., but the course of amelioration has multiplied the locules; it has also modified the foliage and the stature of the plant.

Var. cerasiforme, Hort. (L. cerasiforme, Dunal). Cherry Tomato. Still grown for its little globular frs. (in red and yellow), which are often 2-loculed: plant less large and dense-foliaged, the lvs. smaller, grayer: growth more erect.— Probably a very close approach to the wild plant. Frs. used for pickles and conserves.

Var. pyriforme, Hort. (L. pyriforme, Dunal). Pear and Plum Tomato. Differs from the last only in having pear-shaped or oblong frs.— Probably occurs wild in very nearly the form seen in old gardens.

Var. validum, Bailey. Upright Tomato. Fig. 2233. A remarkable cultural form, of low stiff erect growth, and small, condensed, curled lvs.—Originated as a chance seedling in France about 65 years ago. Looks like a potato plant.

Var. grandifolium, Bailey. Large- Leaf Tomato. Fig. 2232. Lvs. very large, plane, the Ifts. few (about 2 pairs) and large, with margins entire or very nearly so, and secondary lfts. usually none.—Of seedling origin about 45 years ago. The Mikado and Potato Leaf are characteristic varieties of this. In very young plants, the lvs. are usually entire. This race has produced crosses of commercial value with var. vulgare. In Fig. 2232, No. 2 is a lf. of var. vulgare, No. 1 is var. grandifolium, and No. 3 is a If. of a hand-made cross between the two.
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