in taxon fruit plant used as vegetable tomato plant MANSFELD:6054 PLANTS:SOLY2 The word "tomato"may refer to the plant (*Solanum lycopersicum*) or the edible, typically red, fruit that it bears. Originating in South America, the tomato was spread around the world following the Spanish colonization of the Americas, and its many varieties are now widely grown, often in greenhouses in cooler climates.See also the list of tomato cultivars solanum plant Solanum lycopersicum