Lycopersicon esculentum.commons.wikimedia.org. (Accessed 4/2014).

Lycopersicon esculentum is an annual herb, stems green, sprawling, freely branched, finely sticky-hairy, sap yellow-green, irritating with characteristic scent. 

Leaves alternate, to 30 cm long, pinnate, irregularly lobed and toothed very variable. 

Flowers yellow, to 1 cm wide, radially symmetrical (regular), 5 petals with pointed tips, anthers together around stigma in a central, cone-shaped cluster, ovary superior; self-fertile (autogamous), (Wyatt 1983). 

Fruit fleshy, soft, usually red-orange, very juicy with numerous seeds; blooms and fruits July-Sept. 

Origin: S. America, Andes. 

Wetland status: UPL. 

Frequency in NYC: Very infrequent. 

Origin: S. America, Andes. 

Habitat: Escaped from cultivation in open sites, or illegally cultivated in parks. Not persistent. 

Notes: Plant and unripe fruit contain a complex of toxic glycoalkaloids termed solanine that cause both neurological and gastrointestinal symptoms.(Kingsbury 1964).