TOMATO

The fruit of a plant of the Nightshade family (Lycopersicum esculentun); also, the plant itself. The fruit, which is called also love apple, is usually of a rounded, flattened form, but often irregular in shape. It is of a bright red or yellow color, and is eaten either cooked or uncooked. Tomato gall (Zoöl.), a large gall consisting of a mass of irregular swellings on the stems and leaves of grapevines. They are yellowish green, somewhat tinged with red, and produced by the larva of a small two-winged fly (Lasioptera vitis). -- Tomato sphinx (Zoöl.), the adult or imago of the tomato worm. It closely resembles the tobacco hawk moth. Called also tomato hawk moth. See Illust. of Hawk moth. -- Tomato worm (Zoöl.), the larva of a large hawk moth (Sphinx, or Macrosila, quinquemaculata) which feeds upon the leaves of the tomato and potato plants, often doing considerable damage. Called also potato worm.