5. Solanum lycopersicum L. (syn.: Lycopersicon esculentum Mill., L. lycopersicum (L.) Karst.) (S- and C-Am.) – A common but usually ephemeral alien. First collected in Heverlee in 1861 (in a hedge). Nowadays frequently seen in a wide range of habitats: dumps, roadverges, wasteland and riverbanks.
In the past decades Solanum lycopersicum usually produces viable seed in suitable habitats, especially on gravelly, sun-exposed riverbanks. It often occurs in large numbers and is considered to be locally naturalised, for instance along rivers Maas and Semois (Thoen 1995, Verloove 2002). However, it is still unclear if Solanum lycopersicum is really naturalised (see also Adolphi 1995, Schmitz 2004).
On household dumps and on deposits of sewage sludge Solanum lycopersicum is a very characteristic species. A modern Citrullus lanatus-Solanum lycopersicum community was recently described by Hetzel & Ullmann (1995).
Solanum lycopersicum is a rather variable species, especially with regard to fruit form and size. The following varieties have been recorded, var. esculentum being the more usual alien:
var. cerasiforme (Dun.) Spooner, Anderson et Jansen with cherry-like fruits;
var. esculentum (Mill.) Voss in Vilm. with large, subglobular fruits (sometimes also with oblong fruits: Lycopersicon esculentum var. esculentum f. pyriforme (Dun.) C.H. Müll.).
Plants with numerous, very small fruits (at most 10 mm across) belong to a distinct species (see under Solanum pimpinellifolium).
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
Selected literature:
Adolphi K. (1995) Neophytische Kultur- und Anbaupflanzen als Kulturflüchtlinge des Rheinlandes. Nardus 2: 272 p.
Darwin S.C., Knapp S. & Peralta I.E. (2003) Taxonomy of tomatoes in the Galapagos Islands: native and introduced species of Solanum section Lycopersicon (Solanaceae). Systematics and Biodiversity 1(1): 29-53. [available online at:
http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.547.3431&rep=re...
Hetzel G. & Ullmann I. (1995) Die Citrullus lanatus-Solanum lycopersicum-Gesellschaft, eine neogene Zönose der Mülldeponien und Kläranlagen. Tuexenia 15: 437-445.
Peralta I.E., Knapp S. & Spooner D.M. (2008) Taxonomy of wild tomatoes and their relatives (Solanum sect. Lycopersicoides, sect. Juglandifolia, sect. Lycopersicon; Solanaceae). Syst. Bot. Monogr. 84: 1-186. [available online at: http://www.vcru.wisc.edu/spoonerlab/pdf/Tomatomonograph.pdf]
Schmitz U. (2004) Frost resistance of tomato seeds and the degree of naturalisation of Lycopersicum esculentum Mill. in Central Europe. Flora 199: 476-480.
Thoen D. (1995) Observations floristiques inédites de plantes rares ou intéressantes du basin hydrographique de la Semois (période 1992-1994). Dumortiera 61-62: 49-74.
Verloove F. (2002) Ingeburgerde plantensoorten in Vlaanderen. Mededeling van het Instituut voor Natuurbehoud n° 20: 227 p.