There are several varieties of eggplant or culivar that give rise to fruits of different sizes, shapes and pigments. The most widespread varieties of aubergines in Europe and North America are ovoid and oblong, they are between 12-25cm in length and 6-9cm in width, and have a dark or light purple skin.
In India and other regions of Asia many other types of aubergines are also cultivated, different in shape, size and color. The fruits of the larger cultivars exceed the kilogram of weight and grow in the region enclosed between the Gange and Yamuna rivers.
Eggplant colors range from white-yellowish or light green to purplish-red or dark purple. Some varieties of aubergine are characterized by a typically shaded pigment; this starts from white (near the stem), turns bright pink (at the center of the fruit) and finally deep purple or black (at the opposite vertex). There are also types of striated eggplant, green or purple and white. Chinese varieties are commonly narrower, similar to that of cucumber (mildly curved), and in North America they are erroneously called Japanese eggplants.
The oval or oval-elongated varieties with black peel are: special Harris Hibush, Burpee Hybrid, Black Magic, Classic, Dusky and Black Beauty.
The elongated and purple or black peel cultivars are: Little Fingers, Ichiban, Pingtung Long and Tycoon ; with green leather: Louisiana Long Green and Thai Long Green ; with white leather only the Dourga .
The oval or oval-elongated cultivars with white leather are: Casper and Easter Egg .
The shaded two-tone varieties are: Rosa Bianca, Violetta di Firenze, Bianca Sfumata di Rosa and Prosperosa .
Two- colored cultivars with streaks include: Listada de Gandia and Udumalpet .
In some parts of India, certain small varieties known as vengan are widespread .
A green type of eggplant is called Matti Gulla ; this is precisely the origin of Matti, a village in the district of Udupi, located in the state of Karnataka (India).
