452 MANUAL OF TROPICAL AND SUBTROPICAL FRUITS 



Somewhat distinct are the pitayas furnished by several 

 species of Lemaireocereus, notably L. griseus, Brit. & Rose, and 

 L. queretarensw, Brit. & Rose, and their allies. These are 

 common wild plants in Mexico and elsewhere, and L. griseus 

 is often cultivated. The fruits are globose, about 2J inches 

 in diameter, and covered with many small clusters of spines. 

 These are brushed off the red fully ripe fruit, leaving it in 

 condition to be eaten. The flesh is dark red to purple, sweet 

 and delicious in flavor. 



The propagation and culture of these plants resembles that 

 of the tunas; the Hylocereus group, however, is much better 

 adapted to a moist tropical climate than the latter. 



THE TREE-TOMATO (Fig. 62) 

 (Cyphomandra betacea, Sendt.) 



Several food-plants which were cultivated by the agricultural 

 Indians of ancient Peru have become of economic importance to 

 the modern world, one of them, the potato, of immense value. 

 The tree-tomato, a bush fruit which was planted in their 

 gardens high upon the mountain-sides, is now grown in the 

 hill-regions of India and Ceylon, as well as in several other 

 countries. 



In its native home, where it forms a miniature tree 5 or 6 feet 

 high, O. F. Cook says the plant is cultivated at elevations of 

 6000 to 10,000 feet. In California it grows 8 or 10 feet high. 

 It has large cordate-ovate, subacuminate leaves, small pinkish 

 flowers, and oblong fruits produced in clusters of three or more. 

 In length these fruits are about 2 inches ; in color and in general 

 character they resemble tomatoes, to which they are, of course, 

 closely related. "It has become thoroughly established in 

 many hill gardens," writes H. F. Macmillan of the tree-tomato 

 in Ceylon, "and is commonly grown about Nuwara Eliya for 

 market. The egg-shaped and smooth-skinned fruit, produced 



