Tomato

Lycopersicon lycopersicum is the scientific term for the common tomato. Botanically, tomatoes are a fruit. This is because, generally, a fruit is the edible part of the plant that contains the seeds, while a vegetable is the edible stems, leaves, and roots of the plant. Tomatoes belong to the same family as nightshade, the tomato's deadly cousin. A short-lived perennial in tropical regions and an annual in temperate climates, the tomato grows as a bushy, creeping plant requiring long periods of sunsine and warm temperatures. There are over 1000 different varieties of tomatoes, including the cherry tomato and the plum tomato (Italian tomato). Tomatoes can be round, globular or oval.