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Ethnobotany of the genusCyphomandra (Solanaceae)

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Abstract

Plants of the genusCyphomandra (Solanaceae) have long been utilized for their edible fruits in their native Latin America. The best-known species is the domesticated tree tomato or tamarillo,Cyphomandra betacea. This species, popular as a raw or cooked fruit, is widely cultivated in Andean South America and is now dispersed worldwide in subtropical areas. Its origin and wild relatives are still unknown, but there are tentative reports of wild populations ofC. betacea in southern Bolivia and northwestern Argentina. Wild species ofCyphomandra such asC. hartwegii, C. sibundoyensis, andC. cajanumensis also produce edible fruits. Other species ofCyphomandra are used in medicinal preparations and as dyes. This group of plants is of increasing economic importance and may have considerable potential for future exploitation.

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    Lynn Bohs

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Bohs, L. Ethnobotany of the genusCyphomandra (Solanaceae). Econ Bot 43, 143–163 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02859855

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