Capsicum chinense

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Capsicum chinense
Habanero chile - fruits (aka).jpg
Habanero fruits
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Solanales
Family: Solanaceae
Genus: Capsicum
Species:
C. chinense
Binomial name
Capsicum chinense
Synonyms [1]
  • Capsicum sinense Murray
  • Capsicum toxicarium Poepp. ex Fingerh.

Capsicum chinense, commonly known as a "habanero-type pepper", is a species of chili pepper native to the Americas. C. chinense varieties are well known for their unique flavors and, in many cases, exceptional heat. The hottest peppers in the world are members of this species, with a Scoville Heat Unit score of 2.69 million measured in the C. chinense cultivar, Pepper X in 2023. [2]

Contents

Some taxonomists consider C. chinense to be within the species C. annuum, and they are a member of the C. annuum complex; [3] [4] however, C. chinense and C. annuum pepper plants can sometimes be distinguished by the number of flowers or fruit per node – two to five for C. chinense and one for C. annuum – though this method is not always accurate. [5] The two species can also hybridize and generate inter-specific hybrids. C. frutescens may be the ancestor to the C. chinense species. [6]

Taxonomy

The scientific species name C. chinense or C. sinensis ("Chinese capsicum") is a misnomer. All Capsicum species originated in the New World. [7] Nikolaus Joseph von Jacquin (1727–1817), a Dutch botanist, erroneously named the species in 1776, because he believed it originated in China due to their prevalence in Chinese cuisine; it however was later found to be introduced by earlier European explorers. [8]

Plant appearance

Within C. chinense, the appearance and characteristics of the plants can vary greatly. Varieties such as the well-known Habanero grow to form small, compact perennial bushes about 0.5 metres (1 ft 8 in) in height. The flowers, as with most Capsicum species, are small and white with five petals. When it forms, the fruit varies greatly in color and shape, [9] with red, orange, and yellow being the most common mature colors, but colors such as brown and purple are also known. [10] Another similarity with other species would be shallow roots, which are very common.

Distribution

Close-up photograph of a typical C. chinense flower ('Madame Jeanette' variety) Capsicum chinense flower close-up.jpg
Close-up photograph of a typical C. chinense flower ('Madame Jeanette' variety)

The origin of C. chinense is not an easy matter to settle. However, several reports by McLeod, Pickersgill, and Eshbaugh put its center of origin in the tropical northern Amazon, ranging from Southern Brazil to Bolivia (Eshbaugh, W.H.1993. History and Exploitation of a serendipitous new crop discovery. p. 132-139. In: J. Janick and J.E. Simon (eds), New Crops. Wiley, New York). Later on, it migrated to the Caribbean basin and Cuba originating the term Habanero, meaning from Habana (Havana, Cuba), where several peppers of this species were exported out from this port. (Despite the name, habaneros and other spicy-hot ingredients are rarely ever used in traditional Cuban cooking.) [11] [12]

In warm climates such as these, it is a perennial and can last for several years, but in cooler climates, C. chinense does not usually survive the winter. It will readily germinate from the previous year's seed in the following growing season, however. [13]

Domestication, cultivation and agriculture

Seeds of C. chinense have been found in cave dwellings in Central America that indicate the natives have been consuming peppers since 7,000 B.C. In Eastern Mexico, dry pepper fruits and seeds have been recovered from 9,000 years old burials in Tamaulipas and Tehuacán, further indicating their use since 7,000 B.C. [13] Domestication might have taken place 10,000 to 12,000 years ago in Central–East Mexico. [14]

C. chinense peppers have been cultivated for thousands of years in their native regions, but have only been available in areas outside of the Americas for about 400–500 years following the Columbian Exchange. [14] Selection in the new environments have led to the rise of new varieties that are bred and farmed in Asia and Africa.

C. chinense are also popular with many gardeners for their bright colors (ornamental value) and for their fruit.

Culinary use

C. chinense and its varieties have been used for millennia in Yucatán and Caribbean-style cooking to add a significant amount of heat to their traditional food. [15] They are mainly used in stews and sauces, as well as marinades for meats and chicken.

American food at times also uses some of these chiles. For example, Habanero (a group of C. chinense varieties) are commonly used in hot sauces and extra-spicy salsas, due to the popularity of Tex-Mex and Mexican cuisines in American culture. [16]

Common C. chinense varieties

Varieties

C. chinense has many different varieties, including:

Hybrids and landraces

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bell pepper</span> Group of fruits of Capsicum annuum

The bell pepper is the fruit of plants in the Grossum Group of the species Capsicum annuum. Cultivars of the plant produce fruits in different colors, including red, yellow, orange, green, white, chocolate, candy cane striped, and purple. Bell peppers are sometimes grouped with less pungent chili varieties as "sweet peppers". While they are botanically fruits—classified as berries—they are commonly used as a vegetable ingredient or side dish. Other varieties of the genus Capsicum are categorized as chili peppers when they are cultivated for their pungency, including some varieties of Capsicum annuum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chili pepper</span> Varieties of peppers belonging to several species of Capsicum genus

Chili peppers, also spelled chile or chilli, are varieties of the berry-fruit of plants from the genus Capsicum, which are members of the nightshade family Solanaceae, cultivated for their pungency. Chili peppers are widely used in many cuisines as a spice to add "heat" to dishes. Capsaicin and related compounds known as capsaicinoids are the substances that give chili peppers their intensity when ingested or applied topically. Chili peppers exhibit a range of heat and flavors. This diversity is the reason behind the availability of different types of paprika and chili powder, each offering its own taste and heat level.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malagueta pepper</span> Variety of chili pepper

Malagueta pepper, a variety of Capsicum frutescens, is a type of chili pepper widely used in the Portuguese-speaking world and the Caribbean. It got its name from the unrelated melegueta pepper, an African spice from Guinea which is a member of the ginger family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hot sauce</span> Condiment made from chili peppers

Hot sauce is a type of condiment, seasoning, or salsa made from chili peppers and other ingredients. Many commercial varieties of mass-produced hot sauce exist.

<i>Capsicum annuum</i> Species of flowering plant in the nightshade family

Capsicum annuum, commonly known as paprika, chili pepper, red pepper, sweet pepper, jalapeño, cayenne, or bell pepper, is a fruiting plant from the family Solanaceae (nightshades), within the genus Capsicum which is native to the northern regions of South America and to southwestern North America. The plant produces berries of many colors including red, green, and yellow, often with pungent taste. It is also one of the oldest cultivated crops, with domestication dating back to around 6,000 years ago in regions of Mexico. The genus Capsicum has over 30 species but Capsicum annuum is the primary species in its genus, as it has been widely cultivated for human consumption for a substantial amount of time and has spread across the world. This species has many uses in culinary applications, medicine, self defense, and can even be ornamental.

<i>Capsicum frutescens</i> Species of chili pepper

Capsicum frutescens is a wild chili pepper having genetic proximity to the cultivated pepper Capsicum chinense native to Central and South America. Pepper cultivars of C. frutescens can be annual or short-lived perennial plants. Flowers are white with a greenish white or greenish yellow corolla, and are either insect- or self-pollinated. The plants' berries typically grow erect; ellipsoid-conical to lanceoloid shaped. They are usually very small and pungent, growing 10–20 millimetres (0.39–0.79 in) long and 3–7 millimetres (0.12–0.28 in) in diameter. Fruit typically grows a pale yellow and matures to a bright red, but can also be other colors. C. frutescens has a smaller variety of shapes compared to other Capsicum species. C. frutescens has been bred to produce ornamental strains because of its large quantities of erect peppers growing in colorful ripening patterns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red Savina pepper</span> Chili pepper

The Red Savina pepper is a cultivar of the habanero chili, which has been selectively bred to produce spicier, heavier, and larger fruit, ultimately more potent than its derivative.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ají dulce</span> Sweet perennial peppers found in Latin America and the Caribbean

Ají dulce, ají cachucha, quechucha, ajicito, or ají gustoso is any of a variety of sweet perennial peppers found in Latin America and the Caribbean. It is most widely known in Cuba, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and Venezuela, where it refers to a specific native variety of Capsicum chinense that is related to the habanero but with a much milder, smoky flavor. In the English-speaking Caribbean, it is known as seasoning pepper and is essential to a variety of traditional dishes.

<i>Capsicum baccatum</i> Species of plant

Capsicum baccatum is a member of the genus Capsicum, and is one of the five domesticated chili pepper species. The fruit tends to be very pungent, and registers 30,000 to 50,000 on the Scoville heat unit scale.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naga Morich</span> Ghost pepper

The Naga Morich is a chili pepper originally grown primarily in Bangladesh and Northeast India. It is also one of the hottest known chilli peppers and measures 800,000 SHU on Scoville scale. Morich is the word for chilli pepper in Bengali, with similar words in Assamese:, Nepali, Hindi and the languages of Nagaland and Manipur. "Naga Mircha" is registered under the Geographical Indications (GI) of Nagaland by Government of India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Siling labuyo</span> Chili pepper cultivar

Siling labuyo is a small chili pepper cultivar that developed in the Philippines after the Columbian Exchange. It belongs to the species Capsicum frutescens and is characterized by triangular fruits that grow pointing upwards. The fruits and leaves are used in traditional Philippine cuisine. The fruit is pungent, ranking at 80,000 to 100,000 heat units in the Scoville Scale.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kambuzi</span> Variety of chili pepper

Kambuzi is a small, round chili pepper cultivar found in central Malawi, a landlocked country in southeast Africa. It comes in a variety of colors including yellow, red and orange. It is used to make condiments and turned into sauces, or sandwich spreads. Their flavor is similar to that of the Habanero chili.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ghost pepper</span> Chili pepper cultivated in Northeast India

The ghost pepper, also known as bhüt jolokia, is an interspecific hybrid chili pepper cultivated in Northeast India. It is a hybrid of Capsicum chinense and Capsicum frutescens.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bird's eye chili</span> Variety of chili pepper

Bird's eye chili or Thai chili is a chili pepper variety from the species Capsicum annuum that is native to Mexico. Cultivated across Southeast Asia, it is used extensively in many Asian cuisines. It may be mistaken for a similar-looking chili derived from the species Capsicum frutescens, the cultivar siling labuyo. Capsicum frutescens fruits are generally smaller and characteristically point upwards. In the Marianas and Guam these are often called boonie peppers or Doni Sali, which can be term for regional wild varieties. The variation between different varieties can be significant for regional dishes or visuals, such as the Thai ornamental varieties.

<i>Capsicum</i> Genus of flowering plants

Capsicum is a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family Solanaceae, native to the Americas, cultivated worldwide for their edible fruit, which are generally known as "peppers" or "capsicum". Sweet or bell peppers and some chili peppers belong to the Capsicum annuum species, making it the most cultivated species from the genus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cayenne pepper</span> Hot chili pepper used to flavor dishes

The cayenne pepper is a type of Capsicum annuum. It is usually a hot chili pepper used to flavor dishes. Cayenne peppers are a group of tapering, 10 to 25 cm long, generally skinny, mostly red-colored peppers, often with a curved tip and somewhat rippled skin, which hang from the bush as opposed to growing upright. Most varieties are generally rated at 30,000 to 50,000 Scoville units.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Habanero</span> Strain of chili (Capsicum)

The habanero is a hot variety of chili. Unripe habaneros are green, and they color as they mature. The most common color variants are orange and red, but the fruit may also be white, brown, yellow, green, or purple. Typically, a ripe habanero is 2–6 centimetres long. Habanero chilis are very hot, rated 100,000–350,000 on the Scoville scale. The habanero heat, flavor, and floral aroma make it a common ingredient in hot sauces and other spicy foods.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hottest chili pepper</span> Informal pepper competition

Amongst growers in the US, the UK, and Australia, there has been a competition since the 1990s to grow the hottest chili pepper. Chili pepper species and cultivars registering over 1,000,000 Scoville Heat units (SHU) are called "super-hots". Past Guinness World Record holders include the ghost pepper, Infinity chili, Trinidad Moruga scorpion, Naga Viper pepper, Trinidad Scorpion Butch T, and Carolina Reaper. The current record holder, declared in 2023, is Pepper X, at more than 2.69 million SHU.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Habanaga</span> Chili pepper cultivar

The Habanaga is a cultivar of the chili pepper Capsicum chinense. This pepper was developed in New Mexico when a university student unintentionally crossed a Habanero and a Bhut Jolokia.

References

  1. "Capsicum chinense Jacq". The Plant List.
  2. Sanj Atwal (16 October 2023). "Pepper X dethrones Carolina Reaper as world's hottest chilli pepper". Guinness World Records Ltd. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  3. "Capsicum chinense". Tropicos.
  4. Eshbaugh, W.H (1993). "History and exploitation of a serendipitous new crop discovery". In Janick, J; Simon, J.E (eds.). New crops. New York: Wiley. pp. 132–39.
  5. Tanksley, Steven D; Iglesias-Olivas, Jaime (Nov 1984), "Inheritance and transfer of multiple-flower character from Capsicum chinense into Capsicum annuum", Euphytica, 33 (3): 769–77, doi:10.1007/bf00021903, S2CID   42784000 .
  6. Russo, Vincent M. (2012). Peppers: Botany, Production and Uses. Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International. p. 17. ISBN   9781845937676 . Retrieved 17 May 2017.
  7. Andrews, Jean (1995). "Historical Background". Peppers: the Domesticated Capsicums. Austin, TX, USA: University of Texas Press. pp. 1–10.
  8. 1 2 Bosland, P.W (1996), "Capsicums: Innovative uses of an ancient crop", in Janick, J (ed.), Progress in new crops, Arlington, VA: ASHS Press, pp. 479–87.
  9. "Chinense Species". Capsicum Species. The Chilli Man. Archived from the original on 23 February 2012. Retrieved 8 May 2011.
  10. Smith, P. G (1950-05-01). "Inheritance of brown and green mature fruit color in peppers". The Journal of Heredity. 41 (5): 138–40. doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.jhered.a106109. ISSN   0022-1503. PMID   15436970.
  11. "Cuba and Food – An Intense History". July 2020. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
  12. McGinty, Lupi (17 June 2016). "Cuban Food Isn't Spicy". Medium. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
  13. 1 2 "Peppers". Plant sciences. UC Davis. Archived from the original on 2016-01-22. Retrieved 2016-02-02.
  14. 1 2 "Chili Peppers First Cultivated in Mexico". Gary Nabhan. Archived from the original on 2014-09-08. Retrieved 2016-02-02.
  15. Webster, Valerie. "Habanero Hot Sauce – Cure for Common Cuisine". Recipes. Caribbean Choice. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
  16. "Mexican American culture". Kwintessential Publications. UK . Retrieved 7 May 2011.
  17. "SACEP" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2022-10-05. Retrieved 2022-10-05.