What is Eggplant ? - Jewish Recipes Jewish Recipes Also see Recipes: Eggplant -- Baba Ganoush There are many varieties of this delicious food, ranging in color from rich purple to white, in length from 2 to 12 inches and in shape from oblong to round. In the United States, the most common eggplant is the large, cylindrical- or pear-shape variety with a smooth, glossy, dark purple skin. Choose a firm, smooth-skinned eggplant heavy for its size; avoid those with soft or brown spots. Eggplants become bitter with age and are very perishable. They should be stored in a cool, dry place and used within a day or two of purchase. If longer storage is necessary, place the eggplant in the refrigerator vegetable drawer. Eggplant can be prepared in a variety of ways including baking, broiling and frying. It does, however, have sponge like capacity to soak up oil so it should be well coated with a batter or crumb mixture to inhibit fat absorption.

The eggplant, aubergine, melongene, brinjal or guinea squash (Solanum melongena) is a plant of the family Solanaceae (also known as the nightshades) and genus Solanum. It bears a fruit of the same name, commonly used in cooking. As a nightshade, it is closely related to the tomato and potato. It is native to India. It is a delicate perennial often cultivated as an annual. It grows 40 to 150 cm (16 to 57 in) tall, with large coarsely lobed leaves that are 10 to 20 cm (4ï¿½8 in) long and 5 to 10 cm (2ï¿½4 in) broad. Semiwild types can grow much larger, to 225 cm (7 ft) with large leaves over 30 cm (12 in) long and 15 cm (6 in) broad. The stem is often spiny. The flowers are white to purple, with a five-lobed corolla and yellow stamens.

The fruit is fleshy, has a meaty texture, and is less than 3 cm (1.2 in) in diameter on wild plants, but much larger in cultivated forms. The fruit is botanically classified as a berry, and contains numerous small, soft seeds, which are edible, but have a bitter taste because they contain nicotinoid alkaloids; this is unsurprising as it is a close relative of tobacco. The plant is native to the Indian subcontinent. It has been cultivated in southern and eastern Asia since prehistory, but appears to have become known to the Western world no earlier than ca. 1500. The first known written record of the plant is found in Qï¿½ mï¿½n yï¿½o shï¿½, an ancient Chinese agricultural treatise completed in 544. The numerous Arabic and North African names for it, along with the lack of the ancient Greek and Roman names, indicate it was introduced throughout the Mediterranean area by the Arabs in the early Middle Ages. The scientific name Solanum melongena is derived from a 16th century Arabic term for one variety.

The name aubergine is from the French, a diminutive of auberge, variant of alberge ï¿½a kind of peachï¿½ or from the Spanish alberchigo, alverchiga, ï¿½an apricockeï¿½ (Minsheu 1623). It may be also be derived from Catalan albergï¿½nia, from Arabic al-baï¿½injān from Persian bï¿½denjï¿½n, from Sanskrit vātiga-gama). Aubergine is also the name of the purple color resembling that of the fruit and is a commonly known color scheme applied to articles as diverse as cloth or bathroom suites. The name eggplant, rather than aubergine, is used in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, and refers to the fruits of some 18th century European cultivars which were yellow or white and resembled goose or hen's eggs. In Indian, South African, Malaysian and Singaporean English, the fruit brinjal, being derived directly from the Portuguese beringela.

A less common British English word is melongene, which is also from French (derived) from Italian "melanzana" from Greek "μελιτζάνα". In the Caribbean Trinidad, it also goes by "meloongen" from melongene. Because of the plant's relationship with the Solanaceae (nightshade) family, the fruit was at one time believed to be extremely poisonous. Different varieties of the plant produce fruit of different size, shape and color, though typically purple. There are even orange varieties. The most widely cultivated varieties (cultivars) in Europe and North America today are elongated ovoid, 12ï¿½25 cm long (4ï¿½ to 9 in) and 6ï¿½9 cm broad (2 to 4 in) in a dark purple skin. A much wider range of shapes, sizes and colors is grown in India and elsewhere in Asia. Larger varieties weighing up to a kilogram (2.2 pounds) grow in the region between the Ganges and Yamuna rivers, while smaller varieties are found elsewhere. Colors vary from white to yellow or green as well as reddish-purple and dark purple.

Some cultivars have a color gradient, from white at the stem to bright pink to deep purple or even black. Green or purple cultivars in white striping also exist. Chinese varieties are commonly shaped like a narrower, slightly pendulous cucumber, and were sometimes called Japanese eggplants in North America. Oval or elongated oval-shaped and black-skinned cultivars include Harris Special Hibush, Burpee Hybrid, Black Magic, Classic, Dusky, and Black Beauty. Slim cultivars in purple-black skin include Little Fingers, Ichiban, Pingtung Long, and Tycoon; in green skin Louisiana Long Green and Thai (Long) Green; in white skin Dourga. Traditional, white-skinned, egg-shaped cultivars include Casper and Easter Egg. Bicolored cultivars with color gradient include Rosa Bianca, Violetta di Firenze, Bianca Smufata di Rosa (heirloom), and Prosperosa (heirloom). Bicolored cultivars with striping include Listada de Gandia and Udumalapet. In some parts of India, miniature varieties (most commonly called vengan) are popular.

A particular variety of green brinjal known as Matti Gulla is grown in Matti, a village of the Udupi district in Karnataka state. Cooking The raw fruit can have a somewhat bitter taste, but becomes tender when cooked and develops a rich, complex flavor. Traditionally, recipes would advise the salting, rinsing and draining of the sliced fruit (known as "degorging") to soften it and to reduce the amount of fat absorbed during cooking, but mainly to remove the bitterness of the earlier cultivars. Some modern varieties - including those large, purple varieties commonly imported into western Europe - do not need this treatment. The fruit is capable of absorbing large amounts of cooking fats and sauces, allowing for very rich dishes, but the salting process will reduce the amount of oil absorbed. The fruit flesh is smooth; as in the related tomato, the numerous seeds are soft and edible along with the rest of the fruit. The thin skin is also edible, so peeling is not required. Melanzane alla Parmigiana, or Eggplant Parmesan The plant is used in cuisines from Japan to Spain.

It is often stewed, as in the French ratatouille, the Italian parmigiana di melanzane, the Turkish karnıyarık or musakka, and Middle-Eastern and South Asian dishes. Eggplants can also be battered before deep-frying and served with a sauce made of tahini and tamarind. In Iranian cuisine, it can be blended with whey as kashk e-bademjan, tomatoes as mirza ghasemi or made into stew as khoresh-e-bademjan. It can be sliced and deep-fried, then served with plain yogurt, (optionally) topped with a tomato and garlic sauce, such as in the Turkish dish patlıcan kızartması (meaning: fried aubergines) or without yogurt as in patlıcan şakşuka. However, arguably the most famous Turkish eggplant dish duo is İmam bayıldı (vegetarian) and Karnıyarık (with minced meat).

It may also be roasted in its skin until charred, so the pulp can be removed and blended with other ingredients, such as lemon, tahini, and garlic, as in the Middle Eastern dish baba ghanoush and the similar Greek dish melitzanosalata. Grilled, mashed and mixed with onions, tomatoes and spices make the Indian dish baingan ka Bhartha or gojju, similar to salată de vinete in Romania, while a mix of roasted eggplant, roasted red peppers, chopped onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, carrots, celery and spices is called zacuscă in Romania or ajvar in Serbia and the Balkans. A simpler version of the dish, Begun-Pora (eggplant-charred or burnt), is popular in the east Indian state of Bengal and Bangladesh where the charred pulp is mixed with raw chopped onions, green chillies, salt and mustard oil. A Catalan dish called Escalivada calls for strips of roasted aubergine, sweet pepper, onion and tomato. The fruit can also be stuffed with meat, rice, or other fillings and then baked.

In the Caucasus, for example, it is fried and stuffed with walnut paste to make nigvziani badrijani. It can also be found in Chinese cuisine, braised (紅燒茄子), stewed (魚香茄子), steamed (凉拌茄子), or stuffed (釀茄子). As a native plant, it is widely used in Indian cuisine, for example in sambhar, dalma (a dal preparation with vegetables, native to Orissa), chutney, curry, and achaar. Owing to its versatile nature and wide use in both everyday and festive Indian food, it is often described (under the name brinjal) as the "King of Vegetables". In one dish, brinjal is stuffed with ground coconut, peanuts, and masala, and then cooked in oil. Cultivation Worldwide eggplant production Eggplants being sorted just after harvest In tropical and subtropical climates, eggplant can be sown directly into the garden. Eggplant grown in temperate climates fares better when transplanted into the garden after all danger of frost is passed. Seeds are typically started eight to ten weeks prior to the anticipated frost-free date.

Many pests and diseases which afflict other solanaceous plants, such as tomato, pepper (capsicum), and potato, are also troublesome to eggplants. For this reason, it should not be planted in areas previously occupied by its close relatives. Four years should separate successive crops of eggplants. Common North American pests include the potato beetles, flea beetles, aphids, and spider mites. (Adults can be removed by hand, though flea beetles can be especially difficult to control.) Good sanitation and crop rotation practices are extremely important for controlling fungal disease, the most serious of which is Verticillium. Spacing should be 45 cm (18 in.) to 60 cm (24 in.) between plants, depending on cultivar, and 60 cm to 90 cm (24 to 36 in.) between rows, depending on the type of cultivation equipment being used. Mulching will help conserve moisture and prevent weeds and fungal diseases. The flowers are relatively unattractive to bees and the first blossoms often do not set fruit. Hand pollination will improve the set of the first blossoms. Fruits are typically cut from the vine just above the calyx owing to the somewhat woody stems.

Flowers are complete, containing both female and male structures, and may be self pollinated or cross pollinated. Statistics A purple eggplant which has been sliced in half, showing the inside, the flesh surrounding the seeds is already beginning to oxidize and will turn brown just minutes after slicing. Production of eggplant is highly concentrated, with 85 percent of output coming from five countries. China is the top producer (56% of world output) and India is second (26%); Egypt, Turkey and Indonesia round out the top producing nations. More than 4 million acres (2,043,788 hectares) are devoted to the cultivation of eggplant in the world. In the United States, Georgia is the largest producing state. Health properties Studies of the Institute of Biology of Sï¿½o Paulo State University, Brazil, have shown eggplant is effective in the treatment of high blood cholesterol. Another study from Heart Institute of the University of Sï¿½o Paulo found no effects at all and does not recommend eggplant as a replacement to statins. It helps to block the formation of free radicals and is also a source of folic acid and potassium.

Eggplant is richer in nicotine than any other edible plant, with a concentration of 100 ng/g (or 0.01 mg/100g). However, the amount of nicotine from eggplant or any other food is negligible compared to passive smoking. On average, 20 lbs (9 kg) of eggplant contains about the same amount of nicotine as a cigarette. Kosher Food for Body and Soul Sept 2005 - 2014 - Kosher Recipes - Kosher Cooking - Jewish Cooking - Jewish Recipes - Jewish Foods- Jewish Foods Vegetables - English Vocabulary List and Chart with Photos Vegetables English Vocabulary A vegetable is the edible part of a plant that is used in cooking or can be eaten raw. They are different from fruit in that vegetables don't have seeds. Vegetables are often consumed as salads or cooked as part of a side dish or main meal. A person who does not eat meat is considered a Vegetarian because they often only eat vegetables (and fruit). The informal word for vegetables is veggies.

Chart with Vegetables and their names in English List of Vegetables in English [C] = Countable Noun - [U] = Uncountable Noun artichoke [C] aubergine [C] and [U] - (called eggplant in United States) beet [C] - (called beetroot in British English) beetroot [C] and [U] - (called beet in United States) bell pepper * [C] - (Just called pepper in British English or with its color beforehand just as red pepper or green pepper.

In Australia and New Zealand it is known as capsicum) broccoli [U] - (broccoli is an uncountable noun so there is no plural of broccoli) Brussels sprout [C] courgette * [C] - (called zucchini in United States) cucumber * [C] and [U] eggplant * [C] and [U] - (called aubergine in British English) green bean * [C] - (sometimes called French bean in the UK) green onion [C] - (called spring onion in the British English) leek [C] onion [C] and [U] pea [C] pepper [C] - (called bell pepper in British English.

In Australia and New Zealand it is known as capsicum) potato [C] and [U] - (the plural of potato is potatoes - potato is sometimes uncountable as in mashed potato) pumpkin * [C] and [U] radish [C] - (the plural of radish is radishes) spring onion [C] - (called green onion or scallion in United States) squash * [C] and [U] sweet potato [C] - (kumara in New Zealand) tomato * [C] - (the plural of tomato is tomatoes) zucchini * [C] - (called courgette in British English) Are they Fruit or Vegetables? * The following are Fruits in a botanical sense, though are commonly thought of as vegetables due to their culinary uses: avocado, cucumber, eggplant, green beans, peppers, pumpkin, squash, tomato, zucchini ** corn is a cereal grain and is also a type of fruit. *** mushrooms – biologically a mushroom is not a plant so technically it isn't a vegetable. However most English speakers would consider the mushroom as a vegetable because of its use in cooking. Next Activity Try our interactive game about Vegetables in English .

In this game there is a chart with photos of different vegetables and you have to choose the correct name for each one. See our List of Fruit in English (with some additional notes) If you found this English Vocabulary about Vegetables interesting or useful, let others know about it: Eggplant | Agricultural Marketing Resource Center Revised July 2015 by Linda Naeve Introduction Eggplant are members of the same plant family as tomatoes and peppers (Solanaceae family) and cultural practices employed in eggplant production are similar to those crops. A native of the tropics, eggplant are warm-season plants that are more vulnerable to cold temperatures than tomatoes. A large selection of varieties makes eggplants available in several colors (for example, purplish black, red, white and variegated) and shapes (for example, egg-shaped, elongated and round). Most commercial varieties in the U.S. are purplish black in color and usually oval or teardrop in shape. Less commonly produced varieties include Asian eggplants, which tend to be long and slender, and baby, or miniature, eggplants. U.S.

per capita consumption of eggplant was approximately 0.9 pounds in 2012 (ERS 2013). Nutritionally, eggplant is low in fat, protein, and carbohydrates. It contains relatively low amounts of numerous vitamins and minerals, such as B1, B6, folate, copper, manganese, potassium and one cup of the skin and flesh provides approximately 10 percent of the daily value of fiber. Marketing About 98 percent of the eggplant grown in the U.S. is produced for the fresh market, with the remainder used for processed products such as frozen entrees and specialty dips and appetizers (Outlook 2012). Production Eggplant is a widely grown specialty vegetable in the United States. Although the USDA has not collected complete domestic production statistics for eggplant since 2001, the 2012 Census of Agriculture (2013) reports that eggplant was harvested on 3,400 farms in 2012, an increase of over 560 farms since 2007. However, acreage declined 17% in those five years.

The leading states in eggplant production are New Jersey, California, and New York. An estimated 156.3 million pounds of eggplants were grown in the United States in 2012 (Yearbook ERS 2013). Production yields vary around the country with producers averaging approximately 20,000 pounds per acre. Prices Prices for eggplant vary depending on the type and season. A carton (approximately 25 pounds) averaged $23.50 in July 2015 (USDA AMS). Financials: Based on most recent production and price averages, the estimated gross value per acre is approximately $18,800. The costs of production of eggplant vary depending the production location. It is labor-intensive, especially for harvest and post-harvest handling and packaging. Sources: Partially Funded by USDA Rural Development ...and justice for all. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status.

(Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Many materials can be made available in alternative formats for ADA clients. To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call 202-720-5964. The names, words, symbols, and graphics representing Iowa State University are trademarks and copyrights of the university, protected by trademark and copyright laws of the U.S. and other countries. WEB DEVELOPMENT BY 🍆 Eggplant Emoji 🎌 Flags 🍆 Eggplant An eggplant emoji, known as an aubergine in Japan and some other countries speaking British English. A long, purple-looking vegetable used in many types of cooking around the world. It is considered lucky in Japan to dream of an eggplant in the first dream of the new year . The hashtag featuring a single eggplant / aubergine emoji #🍆 previously could not be used to view photos using Instagram's emoji search function, due to common usage as a phallic symbol. This restriction has since been lifted.

Eggplant was approved as part of Unicode 6.0 in 2010 under the name “Aubergine” and added to Emoji 1.0 in 2015. Copy and paste this emoji: Copy 🍆 Eggplant Emoji Eggplant - Prince Vault Eggplant This track is not believed to have been performed live by Prince Performed regularly on tour: Performed occasionally in shows: none Eggplant is an unreleased duet song between Wendy and Prince, recorded on 8 July 1986 at Prince 's Galpin Blvd Home Studio (the day after he recorded Train and the day before he recorded It Ain't Over 'Til The Fat Lady Sings ). Inspiration for this song came from Susannah and Wendy Melvoin, as Prince overheard their conversation about vain girls who constantly flip their hair while having a conversation with someone. The song makes an analogy between a shallow girl and an eggplant, presumably the opposite of an egghead (an intellectual). While the sessions concentrated on material for the aborted musical possibly known as Dream Factory , as well as the aborted Dream Factory album, it is unknown if this song was intended for these or any other project.

Recording Information 7 Eggplant (Garden Egg) | Lost Crops of Africa: Volume II: Vegetables | The National Academies Press 7 EGGPLANT (GARDEN EGG) Late in the 1500s British traders introduced London’s greengrocers to a strange new vegetable they’d picked up along the coast of West Africa. By 1587 this so-called “Guinea squash” was on English dinner tables. Although eaten as a vegetable, it was actually a small fruit about the size of a hen’s egg. It was the same color as a hen’s egg also. This pure white ellipsoid made an eye-catching eatable, which for obvious reasons the public soon dubbed “egg-plant.” At roughly the same time another vegetable also appeared in Britain. This one had fruits nothing like eggs. They were much larger, deep purple in color, and irregularly misshapen. For all their differences, though, the two plants were botanically related and shared common culinary characteristics. For a while both were used. Eventually, however, the Guinea squash lost its toehold, and fell out of Western cuisine.

The newcomer, on the other hand, not only survived but also took over its predecessor’s felicitous name. This is how a purplish blob, looking like no egg seen since perhaps the dinosaurs, came to be misnamed “eggplant.” The interloper 1 that stole an African plant’s good name hailed from Asia, where it has been cultivated more than 4,000 years. In the Far East it even now holds a position comparable to that of tomato in other parts of the world. Indeed, it is sometimes referred to as “Asia’s tomato.” 2 In recent centuries this versatile purplish vegetable has gone global in a big way and is now part of virtually every cuisine. It is fried, grilled, roasted, boiled, seared, baked, steamed, mashed, pickled, stir-fried, pureed, and otherwise prepared by many peoples. To give just a smattering of examples: Greeks, Italians, Syrians, and Egyptians all feature eggplant as daily fare. However, in the love of this bland and humble food none surpass the Turks, who claim to know a thousand ways of preparing it.

3 1 Page 138 Share Cite Suggested Citation : "7 Eggplant (Garden Egg)." National Research Council. 2006. Lost Crops of Africa: Volume II: Vegetables. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11763. × Cancel This worldwide popularity is something of a mystery. Lacking in nutritional quality, high monetary return, or even flavor, the eggplant has in some strange way insinuated itself into myriad local specialties. Indeed, it is the heart of famed national dishes, including: moussaka, 4 baba ghanoush, 5 ratatouille, 6 and Imam bayaldi. 7 And Sicilians, who certainly know a thing or two about fine dining, rave over caponata. 8 Because of the general trend toward ever-greater reliance on vegetables and on diversity in diets, the enigmatic eggplant is growing in global popularity faster than ever. Already, it has taken firm hold as a meat substitute. Popular vegetarian dishes now include such things as eggplant Parmesan, eggplant lasagna, eggplant curry, and even eggplant chili.

The vegetable also lends splashes of purple to trendy modern sautés, ragouts, pizzas, or vegetable Napoleons. 9 It has even become big in the self-styled capital of cuisine: New Orleans. 10 While this culinary juggernaut commandeered the world of cuisine, the original eggplant—the Guinea squash—was left to languish. Four centuries later it remains unknown to the West and to modern horticultural science. Yet it too possesses an array of gastronomically interesting qualities. It, too, could be a globetrotter, not to mention a much bigger contributor to Africa’s own food supply. Although used like its Asian cousin, Africa’s eggplant is quite different in appearance. Most of its fruits are sized and shaped like eggs. Indeed, many are reminiscent of a pointy tomato, a species to which they are so closely related that they can be considered Africa’s answer to South America’s tomato. 4 Among the Greeks’ many eggplant recipes, moussaka is the most famous. It’s basically an older version of Italian lasagna, with eggplant slices subbing for layers of flat pasta. It typically includes ground lamb, onions, and pungent-sweet spicing.

5 Eggplant, roasted in an oven or barbecue grill, is the basis of Greek and Middle Eastern dips and spreads. Baba gannoush (also spelled gannouj) is best known. 6 A famous French dish from Provence, ratatouille is a kind of vegetable casserole, in which each vegetable is cooked separately to its own specifications then turned into a luscious melange. 7 Imam bayaldi, a mashed-eggplant dish, is named after the legendary moment in the 16th century when a religious man waited to taste a sample being served by a beautiful woman. As she bent over to present the plate, the veil slipped from her face. Imam bayaldi means “the leader has fainted.” 8 Caponata is an eggplant relish with a tantalizing sweet and sour flavor. It may be spread on pasta or on bread and eaten as a sandwich. It is also served with meat, poultry, or fish. 9 Napoleons are layered foods, best known as desserts or pastries. In this case, the cook starts with a round of eggplant and tops it with slices of such things as zucchini, onions, peppers, mushrooms and dried tomatoes and cheese.

The resulting pile is then baked. 10 “We do like eggplant here in New Orleans,” writes a local journalist. “We chop it and saute it, batter it and fry it, mash it and season it, stuff it with meat, seafood, oregano, breadcrumbs and itself. Oh yes, some chefs these days even turn it into soup, often with coconut milk to remind us where the stuff actually comes from.” Page 139 Share Cite Suggested Citation : "7 Eggplant (Garden Egg)." National Research Council. 2006. Lost Crops of Africa: Volume II: Vegetables. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11763. × Cancel The brightly colored fruits known as garden eggs are a significant vegetable resource almost Africawide. The crop is high yielding, easy to grow, and simple to harvest and handle. It is integral to many cuisines, cultures, and economies. Yet in many parts of Africa there is considerable scope for producing much better varieties in much better quantities. (G.W.M. Barendse) This is among the most appealing vegetables the eye can see. Few others boast such rich colors.

Among Africa’s overall eggplant diversity it is possible to find fruits in white, cream, yellow, green, lime, orange, pink, red, plum, burgundy, lavender, violet, purple, or dusky black. Many come striped and multi-colored. And all possess a glossy skin that tends to shimmer in the sunlight. Beyond being egg-shaped, they can be also round, flat, ribbed, and pumpkin-like. Some get to be as imposing as beefy tomatoes; in general, though, they closely emulate chicken or duck eggs in size. Most start out white, and are normally eaten before exposing any hint of the final color they will ripen into. Because the taxonomy of the different African eggplants is too complex and uncertain to bother with here, we have chosen to highlight a single Page 140 Share Cite Suggested Citation : "7 Eggplant (Garden Egg)." National Research Council. 2006. Lost Crops of Africa: Volume II: Vegetables. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11763. × Cancel species, Solanum aethiopicum.

In fact, we highlight only one of the four groups recently identified within that species (although much of what is said applies to all African eggplants). In English, fruits of this so-called Gilo Group go by names such as scarlet eggplant, mock tomato, garden egg, garden huckleberry, or gilo. They are the most widespread eggplants cultivated in Africa, and can be found from southern Senegal to Nigeria, from Central Africa across to eastern Africa, and from Central Africa south to Angola, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique. And they are almost certainly the original “Guinea squash” Londoners were admiring 500 years ago. Many gilo cultivars have fruits that are delicious raw—both when immature and fully ripe. They can be chewed, sliced, or pureed into juice and eaten fresh like tomatoes. Depending on type, some are sweet, others bitter (a feature many Africans prefer in a vegetable). At a glance, those in the know can distinguish the sweet cultivars, whose fruits possess smoother skin and a more evenly rounded profile. Despite international obscurity, this is a resource of considerable economic importance. Throughout Africa local garden eggs are very popular and play an important part in many diets.

They have a long storage life (up to three months) and transport well. They are also often dried for use later in the agricultural cycle when fresh foods are unavailable. They (as well as the leaves of some cultivars) provide a reliable and continuing source of income for millions of farmers, most of them women. In rural districts from Senegal to Mozambique, a common sight is women hefting baskets of garden eggs on their heads to sell in nearby villages or townships. The crop is mostly grown, harvested, and marketed close to home, and it forms a crucial part of both the rural economy and the female existence. The plants are notable for yielding a lot from a little space. They can produce a profit from the tiniest plots; even a few plants grown in garden pots can provide a worthwhile harvest. The plants are easy to raise, relatively free of disease and pests, and provide a steady supply of both food and income. Like their famous Asian cousin, these vegetables seem at first sight to be hardly worth attention. They are mild in flavor and not especially nutritious. And they certainly don’t light up the meal on the dinner plate—once cooked they usually end up a brown and squishy mass.

11 Clearly, though, this country cousin of a booming global resource should not be left languishing in the scientific wilderness. Because it remains largely unsupported by research, it nowadays falls far short of its potential. At present only a handful of researchers are championing its cause, but this small group is enthusiastic about the crop’s promise. Given attention, they say, Africa’s own eggplant could achieve a very big future. And they are 11 This is also true of the best-known eggplant, which similarly discolors upon contact with the air. “Eggplant pulp will, upon cooking, turn a murky shade of brown and the consistency of mush,” a food writer explained in the Washington Post newspaper. Page 141 Share Cite Suggested Citation : "7 Eggplant (Garden Egg)." National Research Council. 2006. Lost Crops of Africa: Volume II: Vegetables. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11763. × Cancel right: In this neglected vegetable there is a whole new world of colors, textures, flavors, and culinary uses to explore and exploit.

If the common eggplant provides any guide, the African counterpart offers a foundation for myriad flavors, textures, and ingredients in meals celebrating dozens of local traditions, cultures, and food combinations. Why should Africa invest time and effort on these crops? Beyond the reasons referred to above lie further justifications. The plants, for example, are very adaptable and can be grown in widely different climates. They are fast maturing and yet can be harvested over a period of time, so they yield both quick results and extended ones. They could notably benefit soil conservation activities, especially when used to quickly cover bare soil in the spaces between the farm’s main crops. They tend to tolerate shade and so can be fitted in around various taller plants, such as bananas, cassava, and trees. 12 They are suited to infertile sites and benefit various difficult soils, and are likely candidates for wringing income from numerous kinds of “agricultural wastelands.” Because of their partiality for small spaces, this is a crop for city gardens squeezed in among the structures of modern life: high-rise buildings, factories, shanties, roads, train tracks, and chain-link fences. This is already apparent in African cities.

A survey in Dar es Salaam, for example, found that the most frequently grown non-leafy vegetables were (in order of importance): tomato, common eggplant, African eggplant, sweet pepper, hot pepper, okra, cucumber, and carrot. 13 To sum up: The local garden eggs are significant vegetable resources almost Africawide. They are good for nutrition, rural income, and soils. They are high yielding, easy to grow, and simple to harvest and handle. They are vital to local cuisines, local economies, and local cultures. They have untapped potential waiting to be brought out by research. In many parts of Africa there is considerable scope for producing much better varieties in much better quantity. They also have notable market potential and could become the cornerstone of localized rural economic development. And there is even potential for exporting African eggfruits to Europe and North America and earning some hard currency. 14 12 One study (in Java, where these African eggplants are known) showed that 35-60 percent shade does not affect the edible yield of the species.

13 The authors found that the leafy vegetables being most commonly cultivated in Dar es Salaam were: leaf amaranths, sweet potato leaves, pumpkin leaves, cassava leaves, cowpea leaves, Swiss chard, chinese cabbage, African kale (Brassica oleracea var. acephala), and nightshade (Solanum scabrum). Leaf amaranth is dealt with in Chapter 1 ; okra in Chapter 16 . 14 Page 142 Share Cite Suggested Citation : "7 Eggplant (Garden Egg)." National Research Council. 2006. Lost Crops of Africa: Volume II: Vegetables. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11763. × Page 143 Share Cite Suggested Citation : "7 Eggplant (Garden Egg)." National Research Council. 2006. Lost Crops of Africa: Volume II: Vegetables. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11763. × Cancel Within Africa Humid Areas Excellent.

The African eggplant species are generally resistant to the molds, mildews, and other fungal scourges that achieve their greatest development in the lowland tropics’ heat and humidity. According to reports, they even show resistance against some of the worst soil-borne plant pathogens—including Fusarium oxysporum and Verticillium dahliae—and may have potential as tools to avoid soil sickness (see later). Dry Areas Good. These plants are moderately drought resistant, and with them irrigation is rarely needed. The exact level of drought tolerance is untested, but African eggplant is known to survive dryness better than the Asian counterpart. Upland Areas Probably excellent. These perennial plants are virtually always grown as annuals, and with their fast maturity should fit well into many climatic niches with abbreviated growing seasons. Beyond Africa Garden eggs are already commercially grown in a few other places— notably Brazil, the Caribbean, and Southeast Asia. The Internet carries guidance on growing them in Britain. 15 We see no reason why this species cannot expand in global scope, although uncertainty fogs the exact extent of its adaptability to cooler climes. USES There are two food products from these plants, fruits and leaves.

Fruits Typically in Africa, the garden egg is chopped, cooked and mixed into a variety of vegetable, meat, or fish stews and sauces. Although bitter taste is a major characteristic, many African eggplants are sweet or bland, especially in the immature stages in which they are eaten. The unripe fruits are usually cooked in a sauce after being chopped, parboiled, ground, or otherwise prepared. Peeling is unnecessary because the skin becomes tender enough to be consumed along with the rest. They are among the few vegetables that reach full flavor only after being cooked beyond the crisp stage. Leaves Africans eat the leaves of at least certain types of the Gilo Group eggplants. Although these leaves are high in solanine, which is toxic, 15 According to one report, the berries of all species ripen throughout the British summer, with most plants bearing green unripe and colored ripe fruits simultaneously . Page 144 Share Cite Suggested Citation : "7 Eggplant (Garden Egg)." National Research Council. 2006. Lost Crops of Africa: Volume II: Vegetables. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11763.

× Cancel cooking apparently renders them harmless. Ornamental Uses Not too many vegetables can take your breath away just with their looks. But African eggplants can. The fruits come in types that can be very ornamental, gleaming in more colors than the rainbow. The plants themselves are attractive small bushes that can be light or dark green, or purple, with tiny to very large leaves. 16 NUTRITION These fruits are far from nutritional powerhouses—they contain 92 percent water, after all. Nonetheless, they also contain small amounts of protein, vitamins, minerals, and starch. They are moderate sources of beta-carotene, B vitamins, and C. They also contain calcium, iron, potassium, and probably other minerals. By the standards of the modern Western world, this veggie is a diet-doctor’s dream: low in sodium, low in calories, high in dietary fiber, and a good source of potassium. It is used as a meat substitute not because it is high in protein, but because its spongy texture easily absorbs the other food’s flavor while providing a mouthfeel vaguely suggestive of the presence of meat. The seeds scattered through the fruit also contain vitamin C and carotene and other nutrients.

The leaves are excellent sources of vitamins A and B (particularly riboflavin), calcium, phosphorus, and iron. They contain about 5 percent of a protein containing significant amounts of methionine, one of the essential amino acids most difficult to find in plant-based foodstuffs. HORTICULTURE This crop is mostly grown on a small scale in compound gardens. It likes full sun, well-drained soil, or raised beds. Propagation is by seed, which can be broadcast or drilled directly into well-prepared ground. Typically, however, the seeds are first sown in boxes or nursery beds. Germination takes about a week. After a month, when seedlings are 5-10 cm high, they are transplanted into the garden beds. The plants take at least a further month to establish themselves, after which they develop strongly. For fruit production, plants of the Gilo Group are typically spaced 1 to 1.5 m apart. This spacing allows for the vigorous horizontal branching of these deciduous shrubs, which grow 1m tall unpruned.

Although less susceptible to disease than many vegetables, the crop is 16 In this regard, it is notable that when the common purple eggplant first arrived in the United States it was grown for its beauty. That was in 1806 when Thomas Jefferson planted it at his home in Monticello. And the African ones are the most beautiful of all. Page 145 Share Cite Suggested Citation : "7 Eggplant (Garden Egg)." National Research Council. 2006. Lost Crops of Africa: Volume II: Vegetables. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11763. × Cancel attacked by a fungal leaf spot and by several insect pests, including leaf beetle, moth larvae, bud borer, and sucking bugs. (The plants are normally grown during the rainy season, solely to avoid the pests that build up during dry weather.) The plants branch profusely, a feature making weeding difficult. In time, however, this propensity itself helps by shading out most competitors. HARVESTING AND HANDLING The perfect eggplant is picked while still immature—about 70-90 days after sowing.

At that point the skin is glossy and firm, the flesh white, and the seeds tender and fully edible. It is best to use a knife or pruning shears to cut the fruits from the plants. Harvesting continues over a period of 8-10 weeks. Yields vary, but in one test, three plants (grown on a small plot 1m x 4m) produced 10 kg of fruits. The production of leaves usually involves different horticultural techniques. In this case, the plants are severely cut back to a height of not less than 5 cm after which a massive growth of young shoots occurs. Regular harvesting of the young shoots and debudding encourages the production of side shoots that extend the harvesting period. A total of five to eight weekly harvests are usually possible. The post-harvest handling of the fruits has not been thoroughly evaluated, but the only unusual challenge noted is a rapid browning of the skin after harvesting. Growers currently minimize this by picking fruits gently and in the cool of the day, avoiding exposure to the sun, and—where possible—putting in cool storage for a few hours, but many tricks undoubtedly remain to be learned.

LIMITATIONS The very thought of growing African eggplant is likely to raise hackles in some quarters. Its flowers betray its relationship to a notorious weed that adversely affects some of the world’s main crops—the small, bell-shaped, purple bloom is utterly nightshade. Indeed, the whole plant looks like the black nightshade, Solanum nigrum. 17 For this reason, it will be difficult to promote it as crop plant in, for example, the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Britain, or Israel. Of course, the common eggplant is not problematic in those countries, but people bringing in its cousin will find the guilt-by-association with a more distantly related weed hard to overcome. The Solanaceae (or Nightshade Family) is renowned for protecting its leaves with lethal compounds. The toxins occur to greater or lesser degree, depending on the species and the parts of the plant. Some solanaceous 17 Several decades ago, the juice from squashed black-nightshade berries was estimated to damage more than 10 percent of the bean crop in Nebraska alone. Page 146 Share Cite Suggested Citation : "7 Eggplant (Garden Egg)." National Research Council. 2006.

Lost Crops of Africa: Volume II: Vegetables. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11763. × Cancel This is a resource that is easy to raise, relatively free of disease and pests, and capable of providing a steady supply of both food and income. The plants are notable for a capacity to yield a lot of food from a small space. It is also, as can be seen here, rich in genetic diversity. (G.J.H. Grubben) species have perfectly edible parts but, despite all the evidence of their safety, people typically fear the worst. When the common eggplant was first introduced to Europe, botanists prophesied that consuming it would cause insanity.

18 Potato, tomato, and peppers—all of which are nightshade 18 When the common eggplant turned up in England, John Gerard advised readers of his 1597 Herball to avoid it and “rather…to content themselves with the meate and sauce of our owne country than with fruit and sauce eaten with such perill; for doubtless these apples have a mischievous quality; the use thereof is utterly forsaken.” In France, eggplant was rumored to provoke fever and induce epilepsy. One tome described it as having “fruit as large as pears, but with bad qualities.” Page 147 Share Cite Suggested Citation : "7 Eggplant (Garden Egg)." National Research Council. 2006. Lost Crops of Africa: Volume II: Vegetables. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11763. × Cancel relatives—were in their time claimed to be deadly too. 19 African garden eggs can expect the same. A third misunderstanding likely to limit support for African eggplant has to do with the crop’s public image in Africa, where it is seen as a low-status vegetable associated with poor people.

As evidenced by poor-person’s crops before it—potato, soybean, peanut, pea, oats, and barley, among them—this mindset can hold back a truly exceptional new food for decades or forever. The garden eggs (like the common eggplant) must be harvested at just the moment when the fruits have developed full size and still remain firm to touch. If they are left to mature, the skin turns dull, the flesh spongy, and the seeds turn hard and dark. Prompt picking also increases fruit set and boosts overall yields. NEXT STEPS For all intents and purposes, African eggplants have received no production research. Most national agricultural research or extension systems allocate no personnel or resources to these vegetables, which they generally consider low-priority species. This needs to change. Agriculture schools and farming programs across Africa should initiate localized eggplant support and improvement projects. In addition, public interest in the greater use of garden eggs needs to be kindled. Indeed, these veggies could quickly fit into development-support programs across the continent—programs dealing with such things as urban agriculture, soil protection, traditional foods, home gardens, sustainable development, women’s welfare, and rural development. There is also a need to foster optimal cultivation practices.

This is not a call for delay and long-term research operations; instead, it is a suggestion to take whatever knowledge is already available and make the most of it. In this regard, indigenous knowledge on the plant types used in the various countries should be gathered. Socioeconomic surveys on the production and use of garden eggs in traditional settings across Africa are warranted as well. Programs to provide bulk samples of quality seed might also be helpful in promoting the greater appreciation for a neglected crop that is under almost everyone’s nose. Organizational Support At present, the exchange of eggplant germplasm and related information occurs mostly via accident and personal contacts. In practice, only a small part of the potential knowledge and germplasm is available to agronomists, vegetable breeders, growers, and whatever seed organizations exist. 19 According to accounts, the daredevil Colonel Robert Gibbon Johnson stood on the steps of the courthouse of Salem, New Jersey, and publicly defied death in 1820 by eating a tomato. A crowd was on hand to enjoy the spectacle of this fool’s suicide. Page 148 Share Cite Suggested Citation : "7 Eggplant (Garden Egg)." National Research Council. 2006.

Lost Crops of Africa: Volume II: Vegetables. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11763. × Cancel As backup support, it would be good to have some sort of functioning African-eggplant promotion and coordination undertaking. This need not be elaborate or even formal—funding in this case being less important than any kind of forward movement. But a fiscal means for sustaining interest and providing specific help and stimulation would be exceptionally supportive. One thing to be done is to gather the natural diversity of eggplant across Africa. As noted, the types to be found are amazingly varied. A start on this has been made already, and seeds of several different types are housed in the vaults of international seedbanks. But local initiatives can still do much to gather the germplasm in the exceptionally diverse and dispersed habitats, not so much to conserve it but to get the best into wider use. Another thing is to establish an eggplant database, into which research information could be incorporated, and subsequently disseminated to farmers, researchers, and interested amateur gardeners. Accurate and illustrated botanical descriptions of the local ‘cultivars’ used as vegetables could also be useful.

Food Technology In the advancement of this neglected resource, there are many things to capture the interest of food technologists. For one, African eggplant should be tested as a substitute in recipes developed to exquisite perfection for its famous Asia-born counterpart in countries such as Greece and Turkey. For another, although no specific mention of toxicity has been reported, this species belongs to a genus some of whose many members have poisonous leaves and sometimes also unhealthy fruits. This is now the time to clarify once-and-for-all the African eggplant’s potential for disaster. For a third, the whole issue of post-harvest handling of the fruits deserves to be analyzed and formalized. Horticultural Development The species can be considered an almost-blank agronomic slate, and almost any studies relating to its production—from seeding depth to thinning the fruits to increase their size—merit clarification. Horticultural investigations are especially needed to determine the field conditions that promote optimal growth and maximal harvests. Genetic Development There are excellent chances for genetically enhancing African garden eggs for increased yield and other features through simple selection and/or plant breeding (perhaps including hybridization). There is a need to create (or identify) varieties better adapted to specific growing conditions.

In addition, there is potential to create varieties with fruits of even more shapes, colors, and tastes. Fuller use of genetic diversity can also raise public and industry’s use of the crop. That, in turn, will lift its commercial value and profile. In biotechnology exist many other possibilities. Breeders can likely take Page 149 Share Cite Suggested Citation : "7 Eggplant (Garden Egg)." National Research Council. 2006. Lost Crops of Africa: Volume II: Vegetables. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11763. × Cancel advantage of the advances made in related solanaceous species. For instance, genetic maps of potato, tomato, peppers, and the common eggplant are available. Markers common to African garden eggs and those well-mapped Solanaceae should be identified. Such markers should allow the molecular tagging of agronomic traits and provide powerful tools for breeding whole new worlds of African eggplants.

Genes for Improving Other Crops Because of their genetic closeness to major global crops in the Solanaceae, African eggplants may also provide powerful tools to the breeders of such things as tomato, potato, and eggplant. They contain several traits potentially useful in improving those crops. These include resistance to: atrazine (a herbicide); phomopsis fruit rot; and verticillium wilt. Genes for these might possibly be isolated from Africa’s garden eggs and genetically engineered into eggplant, potato, tomato, and peppers. In addition, the species has been reported as showing molluscicidal activity, and may prove useful in controlling garden snails, slugs, or maybe even the water snails that harbor lifestages of the schistosomiasis parasite. 20 Moreover, it has been claimed that this crop serves as an alternative host for a variety of pests, bacteria, and fungi that affect a number of commercial crops. African eggplants might therefore be used to lure away the pests. As noted earlier, there are indications that African eggplant is resistant to soil-borne diseases caused by the very serious pathogens, Fusarium oxysporum and Verticillium dahliae.

Perhaps it has a potential to be used as a way to avoid soil sickness. 21 Scientific exploration is well warranted. New Locations Should the outside world try African eggplants? We think yes. The crop already grows in Brazil, and its potential for other tropical countries is high. It may even prove successful in Mediterranean nations. Those are also the ones that rely on eggplant, and they may find the extra drought-tolerance of the African version notably valuable. 20 We are somewhat skeptical of this possibility because in England slugs are said to be among the crop’s worst enemies. 21 T. Yoshihara, Y. Hagihara, T. Nagaoka, S. Chiba and S. Sakamura. 1988. Fungitoxic compounds from the roots of the eggplant stock. Ann. Phytopath. Soc. Japan. 54: 453-459. The biologically active compounds have been identified as several kinds of sesquiterpenes. Page 150 Share Cite Suggested Citation : "7 Eggplant (Garden Egg)." National Research Council. 2006. Lost Crops of Africa: Volume II: Vegetables.

Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11763. × Cancel Exports and Marketing Within Europe and the United States, there is a strong tendency toward horticultural diversification, not only in the size, shape, color and taste of the well-known fruits and vegetables, but also vegetables that are new to the markets. Furthermore, some new eggplant species could be introduced to satisfy the consumers’ continual demand for novelty products. Taxonomic Clarification Solanum taxonomy has been clarified and resolved so often that outsiders have almost lost faith. African eggplants offer a world of possibilities for overcoming taxonomic difficulties in this important family because they lie somewhere among potato, tomato, peppers, and the common eggplant. DNA and other sophisticated evidence might clarify and resolve the uncertainties all over again. SPECIES INFORMATION Botanical Name Solanum aethiopicum L. Synonyms Solanum gilo Raddi, Solanum olivare Paill. & Bois. Solanum pierreanum Pailleux & Bois.

22 Family Solanaceae (Nightshade Family) section Oliganthes Common Names Arabic: begingan et gut a English: mock tomato, scarlet eggplant, Ethiopian eggplant, African bitter pea-aubergine, wild pea-aubergine, wild African aubergine, tomato-fruited eggplant, Ethiopian nightshade, French: tamate amere, aubergine amère, petite bringelle maronne (Africa) Nigeria: asun (Shum group), ikan, igba (Gila group) Sudan: guta, quta, begingan et gut a (Ar) Swahili: ngilo Uganda: nakati, nakasuga (Lug), abugarra (Yr/Tr), (n)jagi (Ach/Gis), enjagi, entura (Yr/Tr/Kig), etanga (Ank) Chinese: Xiao gu qie, Xiao ku fan qie (Cantonese) Description In the vegetative stage, a plant of the Gilo Group looks like a common eggplant (i.e., Solanum melongena).

It is a fairly woody deciduous annual, or occasionally perennial, herb up to 100-150 cm tall. It is not prickly. The 22 Other possible synonyms are Solanum integrifolium Poiret, Solanum integrifolium Poiret var. microcarpum, Solanum naumannii Engl., Solanum zuccagnianum Dunal Page 151 Share Cite Suggested Citation : "7 Eggplant (Garden Egg)." National Research Council. 2006. Lost Crops of Africa: Volume II: Vegetables. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11763. × Cancel mature leaves are smooth, apart from minute glandular hairs. Features distinguishing it from the other species are the small, white, star-shaped flowers. In addition, the calyces are never long and the inflorescence has a short (1 cm) rachis. The fruits are 3-6 cm in diameter, varying in shape from ellipsoid to almost round.

They contain 2-6 locules and are normally firmly attached to thick fruit stalks that turn downwards. The flowers are pollinated by large bees. 23 Distribution Within Africa The plant occurs in virtually all of sub-Saharan Africa, but is less well known in (maybe absent from) South Africa and Madagascar. Beyond Africa Centuries ago, the plant was taken to Brazil, probably with the slave trade. Brazilians call it “gilo,” a slight corruption of the name used in East Africa, ngilo. Horticultural Varieties There are few named varieties, perhaps better called local landraces. Environmental Requirements The crop’s ecological requirements are thought to be much like those of common eggplant, although Solanum aethiopicum is probably slightly hardier, and more tolerant of drought. Rainfall 500-1200 mm or more. The plants thrive during the rainy seasons in the tropics. Altitude Up to 1200 m. Low Temperature Optimal temperatures for the growth of these plants lie between 20 and 30°C, and perhaps higher, but the species likely will grow well at temperatures down to 15° C.

(The optimum germination temperature lies between 15 and 30°C, although temperatures fluctuating between these values are apparently required to break the seed dormancy.) High Temperature The species seem to grow well within an upper temperature of 35° C. 23 Contributor Barbara Gemmill wrote, “Eggplant flowers have “poricidal” anthers, which means a bee must bite the anther and vibrate its wings at a certain frequency for the pollen to be released (a process called “buzz pollination”). Only certain, usually large-bodied bees like carpenter bees are able to do this; honeybees cannot buzz-pollinate.” Page 152 Share Cite Suggested Citation : "7 Eggplant (Garden Egg)." National Research Council. 2006. Lost Crops of Africa: Volume II: Vegetables. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11763. × Cancel Soil An easily grown plant, it succeeds in most soils. Nonetheless, it does best in soils of high fertility, especially those high in nitrogen and phosphorus.

Sandy loam to friable clay soils with a pH range of 5.5 to 6.8 have been declared “particularly suitable.” However, one report from Britain notes that “providing the soil is well drained, the actual soil type appeared almost irrelevant to good growth.” Photoperiod Believed to be day neutral. Related Species Gboma eggplant The present chapter has focused on the gilo eggplant, Solanum aethiopicum, but it might well have dealt with this gboma eggplant, Solanum macrocarpon. The two are similar in all but a few details of the flowers and leaf hairs. Virtually everything said in this chapter is true also for the gboma eggplant. This is another species that might be more widely and more intensively cultivated than at present. It is perennial, glabrous, and shrubby. Originally from tropical and equatorial Africa, but widely introduced into Southeast Asia, this species produces a small fruit similar to the eggplant. The fruits may be eaten when very small, often raw, but in many places the plant is grown chiefly for its edible leaves. Truly lost “eggplants” In West Africa can be found Solanum scabrum L.

and S. americanum Mill. The leaves of these two wayside plants, along with many other Solanum species, such as S. nigrum from the Americas, form the ubiquitous “African spinach”, important (but potentially toxic) food resources that only recently have drawn the attention of scientists. Close cousins There are, as noted, relatively distinct groups within the species Solanum aethiopicum. 24 Those with special potential are: The Shum Group. This has fairly small, subspherical fruits and small glabrous leaves. Only the leaf is used (the fruits being too bitter). It is distributed throughout Central Africa, as well as in western equatorial Africa, Nigeria, Benin, Togo, and Ghana. 24 The species exists in different forms, which were in the past described as about 20 species. Recent studies have shown that all these plants are highly interfertile, and better treated as one species, having arisen by domestication from a single wild progenitor: Solanum anguivi. Four main groups of cultivars of Solanum aethiopicum, with different uses, are now recognized: the Shum, Kumba, Gilo and Aculeatum groups.

The first three are native to Africa; the fourth grows in Europe, and has inedible fruits. Page 153 Share Cite Suggested Citation : "7 Eggplant (Garden Egg)." National Research Council. 2006. Lost Crops of Africa: Volume II: Vegetables. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11763. ×

Question: Which vegetable is also known as the eggplant in the United States?
Answer: Aubergine