Category:Tomato

To*ma"to, n.; pl. Tomatoes. Etym: [sp. or pg. tomate, of american Indian origin; cf. Mexican tomail.] (bot.)

Defn: 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.