Capsicum pubescens

Description

The only domesticated Capsicum with no known wild ancestor still in existence. Unique among cultivated peppers for its black seeds, purple flowers, and thick, apple-shaped fruits (hence 'manzano' = apple in Spanish). Adapted to cool Andean climates (8–18°C optimum) where other Capsicum species cannot survive. Heat ranges from 30 000 to 200 000 SHU. Widely grown in the highlands of Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, and Mexico.

C. pubescens has no cross-compatibility with any other domesticated Capsicum species — it is reproductively isolated. The hairy (pubescent) leaves give the species its name. Thought to be descended from wild forms like C. cardenasii or C. eximium but the exact lineage is unresolved.

Phylogénie

Habitat & Distribution

Conservation