Galapagos Tomato? -- Not

One of the plants I most hoped to see in the Galapagos was the endemic tomato, Solanum cheesmaniae.  I'd looked up some information on it before I left, so I knew I was looking for a sprawling plant with tiny berry-like fruits.  Day one through three went by without a sighting of anything remotely tomatoey, but then on day four, in a vacant lot in the little town of Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island, it seemed that my quest might be over.

What I saw was a profusion of sprawling vines covered with bright red berry-sized tomatoes.  I immediately picked a handful and put one in my mouth -- yep, that was definitely a tomato!  Not bad tasting, either. 

As soon as I got home, I logged on to the computer to do some more research on Solanum cheesmaniae.  My first clue that something wasn't right was a picture of the Galapagos tomato with tiny yellowish to orangey fruits.  Then, a reference to research into using S. cheesmaniae in a breeding program to develop a super high-carotene tomato variety.  (Carotene is what gives carrots their orange color.)  Finally, I read that Galapagos tomatoes are insipid and tasteless.

A little further digging, and I realized that what I'd seen in Puerto Ayora was actually an invasive species, S. pimpernellifolium, which many botanists regard as a serious threat to the survival of the endemic Galapagos species.  Solanum pimpernellifolium is commonly called "Currant Tomato", and it's readily available in seed catalogs, particularly those that specialize in heirlooms or other unusual varieties.  The tomatoes it produces are tiny, but reported to have a good tomato flavor.

Although its presence in the Galapagos is bad news because of the possibility of interbreeding with its rare endemic cousins, the currant tomato is a part of the native flora of mainland Ecuador.  I've decided to try growing it in my garden this year!

Meanwhile, here's a link to a picture of the real Galapagos tomato.  I'll just have to wait until our next trip to see it growing wild.  galapagos-tomato/solanum-cheesmaniae/