1- Introduction to the Genus Capsicum

            1.1- Scientific classification
            Kingdom:         Plantae
            (unranked):     Angiosperms
            (unranked):     Eudicots
            (unranked):     Asterids
            Order:               Solanales
            Family:             Solanaceae
            Subfamily:       Solanoideae
            Tribe:                     Capsiceae
            Genus:                   Capsicum L.

           1.2- Genus Capsicum
           + Overview
         Capsicum (also known as peppers) is a genus of flowering plants in the tribe Capsiceae in the subfamily Solanoideae of the nightshade family Solanaceae.
      The chili pepper (also chile pepper or chilli pepper), from Nahuatl chīlli is the fruit of plants from the genus Capsicum, members of the nightshade family, Solanaceae. In Britain, Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan, India, and other Asian countries, it is usually known simply as the chilli.
              Its species are native to the Americas, where they have been cultivated for thousands of years. In modern times, it is cultivated worldwide, and has become a key element in many cuisines. In addition to use as spices and food vegetables, Capsicum species have also found use in medicines.
            + The Names
               The fruit of Capsicum plants have a variety of names depending on place and type. The piquant (spicy) varieties are commonly called chili peppers, or simply "chillies". The large, mild form is called red pepper, green pepper, or bell pepper in North America and United Kingdom and typically "capsicum" in New Zealand, Australia, Singapore and India. The fruit is called paprika in some other countries (although paprika can also refer to the powdered spice made from various capsicum fruit).
       The generic name may come from Latin capsa 'box', presumably alluding to the pods or the Greek word κάπτω kapto 'to gulp'. The name "pepper" comes from the similarity of the flavour to black pepper, Piper nigrum, although there is no botanical relationship with it or with Sichuan pepper. The original term, chilli (now chile in Mexico) came from the Nahuatl word chilli, denoting a larger Capsicum variety cultivated at least since 3000 BC, as evidenced by remains found in pottery from Puebla and Oaxaca.
             + Species and varieties
                  Capsicum consists of 20 - 27 species, five of which are domesticated: 
                 1- Capsicum annuum
                 2- Capsicum baccatum
                 3- Capsicum chinense
                 4- Capsicum frutescens
                 5- Capsicum pubescens.
             See also: List of Capsicum cultivars
             Source: Capsicum - From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

2- Five domesticated species of the Genus Capsicum

             2.1- Species Capsicum annuum
            + Overview
          Capsicum annuum is a species of the plant genus Capsicum native to southern North America and northern South America. This species is the most common and extensively cultivated of the five domesticated capsicums. The species encompasses a wide variety of shapes and sizes of peppers, both mild and hot, ranging from bell peppers to chili peppers.
Cultivars are descended from the wild American bird pepper still found in warmer regions of the Americas. In the past some woody forms of this species have been called Capsicum frutescens, but the features that were used to distinguish those forms appear in many populations of Capsicum annuum and there is no consistently recognizable Capsicum frutescens species.
             Synomym:
             Capsicum annuum var. annuum
             + Characteristics
               Although the species name annuum means “annual” (from the Latin annus “year”), the plant is not an annual and in the absence of winter frosts can survive several seasons and grow into a large perennial shrub. The single flowers are an off-white (sometimes purplish) color while the stem is densely branched and up to 60 centimetres (24 in) tall. The fruit are berries that may be green, yellow or red when ripe. While the species can tolerate most climates, Capsicum annuum is especially productive in warm and dry climates.
             + Cultivars:
                  Capsicum annuum
                  Synonym = Capsicum annuum var. annuum

              1- Aleppo
              2- Banana pepper
              3- Bell pepper
              4- Bird's eye
              5- Cascabel
              6- Cayenne
              7- Chilaca
              8- Chungyang red pepper
              9- Cubanelle
              10- De árbol.

11- Dundicut
12- Facing heaven
13- Fresno
14- Friggitello
15- Guajillo
16- Hungarian wax 
17- Jalapeño
18- Medusa
19- Mulato
20- New Mexico (Anaheim).

21- Padrón
22- Pasilla
23- Peter
24- Pimiento
25- Poblano
26- Santa Fe Grande
27- Serrano
28- Shishito
-
​-

           Source: Capsicum annuum - From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
           2.2- Species Capsicum baccatum
           + Overview
          Capsicum baccatum is a species of the plant genus Capsicum (chili pepper) native to southern North America and northern South America.
          The Capsicum baccatum species, particularly the Ají amarillo chili, has its origins in ancient Peru. It is typically associated with Peruvian cuisine, and is considered part of its condiment trinity together with red onion and cilantro. Ají amarillo literally means yellow chili; however, the yellow color appears when cooked, as the mature pods are bright orange.
Cultivated baccatum (Capsicum baccatum var. pendulum) is the domesticated pepper of choice of Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru and Chile.
            + Description
               Pepper varieties in the Capsicum baccatum species have white or cream colored flowers, and typically have a green or gold corolla. The flowers are either insect or self-pollinated. The fruit pods of the baccatum species have been cultivated into a wide variety of shapes and sizes, unlike other capsicum species, which tend to have a characteristic shape. The pods typically hang down, unlike a Capsicum frutescens plant, and can have a citrus or fruity flavor.
             + Cultivars of species Capsicum baccatum
                 1- Ají 
                 2- Bishop's crown
                 3- Lemon drop
                 4- Peppadew
            Source: Capsicum baccatum - From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

            2.3- Species Capsicum chinense
            + Overview
     Capsicum chinense, commonly known as "yellow lantern chili", is a species of chili pepper native to the Americas. Capsicum chinense varieties are well known for their exceptional heat. Some taxonomists consider them to be part of the species Capsicum annuum. However, the annuum and chinense peppers can easily be identified by the number of flowers or fruit per node - one for annuums and two for chinense.
             Despite its name, Capsicum chinense or "Chinese capsicum" is misleading. All Capsicum species originated in the New World. Nikolaus Joseph von Jacquin (1727-1817), a Dutch botanist, erroneously named the species in 1776, because he believed they originated in China.
            Capsicum chinense is native to Central America, the Yucatan region, and the  Caribbean islands. In warm climates such as these, it is a perennial and can last for several years, but in cooler climates, Capsicum chinense does not usually survive the winter. However, it will readily germinate from the previous year's seed in the following growing season.
             + Varieties and Cultivars of Capsicum chinense
                1- Adjuma (Suriname)
                2- Ají dulce
                3- Ají Panca (Peru)
                4- Arriba Saia (Brazil)
                5- Bhut jolokia (Assam)
                   - Bhut jolokia cultivar 'Dorset' Naga pepper
                6- Carolina Reaper
                7- Datil (Florida)
                8- Fatalii (south central Africa)
                9- Habanero chile (Caribbean, Central America and Mexico)
                   - Habanero cultivar 'Red Savina'
                10- Hainan yellow lantern chili (Hainan Island, South China)
                11- Madame Jeanette (Suriname)
                12- Naga Morich
                13- Pot chili (Trinidad)
                     - 7-Pot cultivar 7-Pot Primo (Louisiana)
                     - 7-Pot cultivar 'Carolina Reaper' (South Carolina)
                14- Red Savina habanero
                15- Scotch bonnet (Jamaica, Trinidad)
                16- Trinidad moruga scorpion
                17- Trinidad scorpion 'Butch T' (Trinidad)
                     - Trinidad scorpion cultivar Trinidad scorpion 'Butch T'
                     - Trinidad scorpion cultivar Trinidad scorpion moruga blend
            Source: Capsicum chinense - From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

           2.4- Species Capsicum frutescens
           + Overview
          Capsicum frutescens is a species of chili pepper that is sometimes considered to be part of the species Capsicum annuum. 
          The Capsicum frutescens species likely originated in South or Central America. It spread quickly throughout the tropical and subtropical regions in this area and still grows wild today. Capsicum frutescens is currently native to the majority of Central America as well as Northern and Western South America. It is believed that Capsicum frutescens is the ancestor to the Capsicum chinense species.
            Pepper cultivars of Capsicum frutescens can be annual or short-lived perennial plants. Capsicum frutescens has a smaller variety of shapes compared to other Capsicum species, likely because of the lack of human selection. More recently, however, C. frutescens has been bred to produce ornamental strains, because of its large quantities of erect peppers growing in colorful ripening patterns.
            + Varieties and Cultivars
                 Capsicum frutescens includes the following varieties and/or cultivars:
                1- Kambuzi pepper, Malawian pepper
                2- Malagueta pepper
                3- Piri piri, also called African Bird's Eye or African devil
                4- Siling labuyo, from the Philippines.
                5- Tabasco pepper, used to make Tabasco sauce
                6- Tjabe Rawit, from Indonesia, used in hot Sambal.
               7- Xiaomila, from Yunnan province in China, one of the 3 most commonly used chili in Chinese cooking. The other 2 were Facing heaven pepper and Two Vitex Chili Pepper.
            Source: Capsicum frutescens - From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

           2.5- Capsicum pubescens
            + Overview
       Capsicum pubescens is a species of the genus Capsicum (pepper), known as  rukutu, ruqutu (Quechua, hispanicized rocoto) and  luqutu (Aymara,  hispanicized  locoto)  and in Mexico known as the "Manzano" pepper which means "apple" for its apple-shaped fruit. This species is found primarily in Central and South America, and is known only in cultivation. The species name, pubescens, means hairy, which refers to the hairy leaves of this pepper.
              The hairiness of the leaves, along with the black seeds, distinguish this species from others. As they reach a relatively advanced age and the roots lignify quickly, sometimes they are called tree chili. Of all the domesticated species of peppers, this is the least widespread and systematically furthest away from all others. It is reproductively isolated from other species of the genus Capsicum. A very notable feature of this species is its ability to withstand cooler temperatures than other cultivated pepper plants, although it cannot withstand frost.
            + Distribution
            Capsicum pubescens is found in cultivation primarily in north-western South America, as well as southern Central America. It is believed to have evolved from other, more primitive Capsicum species also occurring in the same area. Capsicum pubescens grows at higher elevations than other species, and cannot survive the tropical heat in the lowlands.
           + Cultivars
                There are several cultivars of Capsicum pubescens; most are rarely cultivated, and are now relatively scarce.
Cultivars include:
                1- Canario (yellow)
                2- Rojo (red).
                3- Peron (pear-shaped)
                4- Orange (most common color in Mexico)
                5- Rocoto Longo (which was developed in the Canary Islands).
            Source: Capsicum pubescens - From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

                                                                                                                                Edited by Ho Dinh Hai
                                                                                                                                                                                    Long An - Vietnam
                                                                                  References
                1- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solanales
                2- http://theworldwidevegetables.weebly.com/order-solanales.html
                3- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solanaceae
                4- https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Solanaceae
                5- http://theworldwidevegetables.weebly.com/family-solanaceae.html
                6- http://www.mobot.org/mobot/research/apweb/orders/solanalesweb.htm
                7- http://theworldwidevegetables.weebly.com/subfamily-solanoideae.html
                8- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solanoideae
                9- https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Solaneae
                10- https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Solanum
                11- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solanum
                12- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capsicum_annuum
                13- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capsicum_baccatum
                14- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capsicum_chinense
                15- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capsicum_frutescens
                16- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capsicum_pubescens.

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