Solanum habrochaites
Western slopes of the Andes from Central Ecuador to Central Peru, occasionally occurring in lomas formations in northern Peru; in a variety of forest types, from premontane forests to dry forests, 400-3600 m elevation.
Solanum habrochaites is a member of the Potato clade (sensu Weese & Bohs, 2007); within the tomatoes and wild relatives it is a member of the “Eriopersicon group” and is a member of section Lycopersicon.
Müller, C.H. 1940. A revision of the genus Lycopersicon.
U.S.D.A. Misc. Publ. 382: 1–28, + 10 pl.
Rick, C.M., J.F. Fobes, & S.D. Tanksley 1979. Evolution of mating systems in Lycopersicum hirsutum as deduced from genetic variation in electrophoretic and morphological characters.
Pl. Syst. Evol. 132: 279-298.
Georgiady, M.S. & E.M. Lord 2002. Evolution of the inbred flower form in the currant tomato, Lycopersicon pimpinellifolium.
Int. J. Pl. Sci. 163: 531-541.
Solanum habrochaites is part of a basal polytomy in the tomatoes, or in some analyses done with DNA sequence data is a member of a clade containing S. chilense, S. peruvianum, S. huaylasense and S. corneliomulleri. It is morphologically very easy to distinguish from all other wild tomato. The sterile apical appendage of the anthers is extremely long and thin, and the broadly rotate, shallowly lobed golden yellow corollas are distinctive. Pubescence in S. habrochaites is quite variable and Müller’s (1940a) forma glabratum consists of plants that are not strictly glabrous, but only have a less dense covering of the longest trichomes on all parts. The characteristic strong aroma of S. habrochaites is caused by secretions from glandular trichoem with a 4-celled head.
Solanum habrochaites grows in high elevations in the northern range of sect. Lycopersicon; only S. pimpinellifolium is found as far north; S. habrochaites also can be found in coastal lomas habitats in northern Peru. Some plants (e.g. Rubio et al. 1768 from southern coastal Ecuador) that are smaller than more typical specimens of S. habrochaites can be confused with S. corneliomulleri, but the straight anther tube with a long, narrow “beak” and largely non-glandular pubescence aid identification. These smaller flowered plants are likely to be self-compatible, as small-flowers are correlated with self-compatibility in other species (Georgiady & Lord 2002). The breeding system of S. habrochaites is self-incompatible allogamous, with some self-compatible populations (probably those with smaller flowers) at the margin of the distribution (Rick et al. 1979).
One TGRC accession of S. habrochaites (LA1777) have been used by Steve Tanksley's group (Cornell University) to produce backcross recombinant inbred lines with the S. lycopersicum cultivar E-6203 (LA4024). The 99 IL lines contains introgressed segment of S. habrochaites that covers giving coverage of approximately 85% of the genome. These lines have been important to produce genetic maps, and to explore resistance to insects, and yield and quality.