BOTANY OF THE TOMATO 



this genus and Solanum to which the potato, pepper, 

 night shade and tobacco belong. The anthers in the 

 latter genus open at the- tip only. The two genera, 

 however, are closely related and plants belonging to 

 them are readily united by grafting. The Physalis, 

 Husk tomato or Ground cherry is quite distinct, botan- 

 ically. The pistils of the true tomato are short at first, 

 but the style elongates so as to push the capitate stigma 



Fia 3 — TWO-CELLED FIG. 4 — THREE-CELLED 



TOMATO TOMATO 



through the tube formed by the anthers, this usually 

 occurring before the anthers open for the discharge 

 of the pollen. The fruit is a two to many-celled berry 

 with central flesh}- placenta and many small kidney- 

 shaped seeds which are densely covered with short, 

 stiff hairs, as seen in Figs. 3 and 4. 



It is comparatively easy to define the genus with 

 which the tomato should be classed botanically, but 

 it is by no means so easy to classify our cultivated va- 

 rieties into botanical species. We have in cultivation 

 varieties which are known to have originated in gar- 

 dens and from the same parentage, but which differ 



