Four stigma on some Tomato flowers as opposed to one?

young codger

Is this normal on Tomato plants? Or maybe it only occurs with certain varieties of Toms?

I've not seen this until now. Is it  a good thing, possibly leading to greater amounts of tomatoes produced, and why is it only on some flowers?
 

young codger

Here is one of the flowers with just one stigma. I wonder why they vary.

steephill

Probably an example of fasciation. You will possibly get a larger deformed fruit from that flower which will still be edible if ugly.

young codger

Amongst the plants I have, there are  a few flowers with multiple a stigma. They are all Black Crim.

BobTheGardener

Certain varieties (particularly 'beefsteak' types) can produce a large 'cristate' flower (sometimes called a 'king flower') which is a form of fasciation and is thought to be a genetic mutation.  The resulting fruit is usually larger and deformed, but perfectly good to eat.  I leave them on the plants but some remove them.  I've never seen more than one on a plant though.

young codger

That is what I am finding too Bob, no more than one on a plant.  So far 3 out of 10 of the plants have a king flower.

purplerallim

I've always found that beefsteak tomato plants have fewer tomatoes,  and the two plants that had fascinated flowers, which produced huge mis-shaped fruit had fewer still.