height, with dense clusters of blue flowers somewhat less 
than an inch in diameter. The leaves are sometimes en- 
tire, but usually slightly undulate, occasionally trifoliate, 
linear-lanceolate to ovate, soft-pubescent. The fruit, an 
almost globose to ovoid or even elongate berry, measures 
usually 7 to 16 (sometimes 5 to 20) em. in length. Most 
forms of the plant bear greenish, yellow or whitish fruits 
marked with purplish or reddish streaks or spots, but 
some may be basically pure yellow or pale green. It is 
juicy, aromatic and scented and somewhat acid, described 
frequently as resembling in taste ‘tan acid eggplant.” 
Most cultivated forms are said to produce seedless fruits. 
The plant is stated to yield fruit for three years, a crop 
every three or four months, and to begin to produce 
about five months after planting. 
Too little is known about Solanum muricatum. The 
variability in fruit and the fact that some sources state 
that the plant may have spines might indicate that either 
more than one species or one or more definite botanical 
varieties are involved. Herbarium material is very scarce. 
A taxonomic study of variability in pepino over its whole 
range is long overdue. 
This species was discussed as early as 1714 by Feuillée 
(in Journ. Obs. Phys. Math. Bot. (1714) 735, t. 26), 
who called it Melongena laurifolia, described it at length 
and published an illustration of it in his account of travels 
in Peru. It was first introduced to Europe apparently 
by the French horticulturist Thouin in 1785 (Aiton: loc. 
cit.) and, shortly thereafter, in 1789, described and given 
the name Solanum muricatum by Aiton at the Royal 
Botanical Gardens, Kew. The third botanical considera- 
tion of pepino was that of Ruiz and Pavoén, the Spanish 
plant-explorers of Peru and Chile, who, in 1799, gave a 
full description of it, calling it Solanum variegatum and 
publishing an excellent drawing of the plant (Fl. Peruy. 
2 (1799) 32, t. 162a). 
