Lycopersicon esculentum Miller (Solanaceae)

Scientific name
Lycopersicon esculentum Miller
Family name
Solanaceae
Common name
Tomato (English)
Local name
Makheua som, makheua thet
Annual herb, up to 2 m tall or taller. Stem solid, coarsely hairy, glandular. Leaves arranged spirally, simple, imparipinnate, 15–40 × 10-20 cm; petiole 3–6 cm long; major pinnae 7–9, opposite or alternate, ovate to oblong, 5–10 cm long, irregularly toothed, sometimes pinnatifid at base; covered with glandular hairs, producing a characteristic odour. Inflorescence cymose, 6–12 flowers, regular, c. 2 cm in diameter, pendant, bisexual, hypogynous, usually 6-merous. Calyx tube short, green, pointed lobes, persistent, accrescent in fruit. Corolla rotate; petals yellow, stellate. Stamens 6, anthers bright yellow. Ovary superior, with 2–9 loculi, placentation in axis. Fruit a berry, compressed globose or oblate, smooth, 1–2 cm in diameter, glabrous and shiny, red, yellow, or orange when ripe. Seeds: a flattened ovoid, 3–5 × 2–4 mm, light brown, hairy.
Traditional medicinal use
Functionality
Functional constituents
Various local tomato landraces are grown in backyard gardens or small plots, and are preferred to modern cultivars; occasionally sold in local markets. Propagated by seed sowing, followed by transplanting at a spacing of c. 30 × 50 cm.
Small, ripe fruits are available year-round and used for their sour taste and unique aroma in Thai dishes such as nam phrik ong (minced pork with spicy tomato dipping sauce).
Fruits
Fruits