The tomato is an important food in many cultures and modern cuisines Essay

The tomato is an important food in many cultures and modern cuisines - Essay Example Today, the tomato is of importance as a staple food and as such has to be specially cared for in regard to the methods of growing, in protecting it from disease, and in deciding which varieties are most beneficial and popular. Finally, current research explores the new potential of tomatoes as a food source world wide as well as the previously unknown benefits it may bring to one's health when consumed in the right...... Size, as well, can vary—from the small, marble-like varieties to large, almost melon-sized types. (Lerner 1) The anatomy of a tomato plant has all the common characteristics of any berry plant. The tomato is fleshy on the outside, and this part of its anatomy is known as the pericarp. The pericarp specifically includes the outer wall, as well as two inner walls—the septa and then the columella. As a whole, these form the part of the fruit that is first bitten into by a human. The seeds of the tomato are located inside locular cavities, which are the crescent shaped cavities inside the tomato's outer wall and along the septa. These seeds are connected by a radiating pattern to vascular bundles that lie within the outer wall. These seeds are inside clear, gelatinous membranes as well, and are easily recognized when viewing a bisected tomato. These fruits develop from the ovary of the flower of the tomato plant. (Rost) The tomato flower also exhibits a berry plant anatomy. The plant has yellow flowers that can develop in multiple patterns or inflorescences. Temperature and other factors can influence how the stems of the flowers develop, either with single or multiple flowers and in what sort of pattern. The anatomy of the flower itself can be divided into four layers, or whorls. Sepals, the green fleshy protective layer of the flower, are the first layer. Inside the sepals are the yellow flower petals of the tomato plant, which are intended to attract pollinators. Two elongated compartments lie within the flower petals, and these are known as the stamens. The stamens are the male reproductive organs of the flower. The stamens serve as a protective cylinder around the carpels, which are bulb-like