Aubergine, egg-plant, brinjal, melongene
Family Solanaceae
Solanum melongena, the aubergine, eggplant, brinjal or melongene (S. melongena 1), is a branching herb, 50-150 cm tall, with all parts covered with fine hairs. The alternate simple leaves are ovate to oblong, coarsely lobed, up to 25 cm long. The flowers are borne solitary or in small clusters opposite the leaves, each flower about 2 cm across (S. melongena 2), purplish-violet or white in colour, with a persistent calyx and 5-6 yellow stamens. The fruit is a large pendent berry, ovoid or oblong, up to 25 cm long, with a smooth skin and very variable in shape and colour; globose, ovoid or elongated, and white, yellow, purple or almost black in colour (S. melongena 3), (S. melongena 4), (S. melongena 5), (S. melongena 6), (S. melongena 7), (S. melongena 8).
Distribution
The aubergine occurs wild in India and was taken into cultivation long ago. The Arabs took the fruit to Spain and the Persians to Africa. Today the aubergine has spread throughout the tropics.
Use
In the temperate regions the aubergine is cultivated in greenhouses. The fruits are eaten boiled, fried or stuffed, unripe fruits are sometimes used in curries.
Biggest producers are China, Japan and Turkey.