Solanum cheesmaniae

(L. Riley) Fosberg

Galapagos tomato

iNaturalist· cc-by

iNaturalist· cc-by-nc

Summary

Solanum cheesmaniae is one of two main species of wild tomatoes found on the Galápagos Islands. This species is the one most commonly called the Galapagos tomato. It is a wild tomato that evolved on the Galapagos Islands. It often gets confused with the other native species, Solanum galapagense, which is similar but slightly different having more bushy smelly foliage and having smaller hairier orange fruits. It also gets confused with natural [Domestic tomato x S. cheesmaniae] hybrids and [Solanum pimpinellifolium x (S. cheesmaniae or S. galapagense)] hybrids because of introduction of domestic tomatoes to the Galapagos Islands, and the presence of Solanum pimpinellifolium on the islands and natural hybridization occurring between them. This tomato is smaller and more pale than the oldest mainland cultivars, both in its fruit and leaves, but its flavor is similar. It can also be crossbred with it, which has been done professionally to impart its unusual disease resistances to some commercial cultivars.