Capsicum cardenasii

Capsicum cardenasii
C. cardensii plant with immature fruit
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Solanales
Family: Solanaceae
Genus: Capsicum
Species complex: Pubescens
Species: C. cardenasii
Binomial name
Capsicum cardenasii

Capsicum cardenasii is a plant from the Solanaceous family of plants. It is a diploid with 2n=24. It is a member within the C. pubescens complex, a group of closely related Capsicum species. It is closely related to C. exinium. It is native to the Andes, and it can be found in Bolivia.[1] The native name is ulupica.[2] Its primary use is as a spice. It is likely the wild ancestor of rocoto peppers.[3]

Many wild Capsicums exhibit disease resistance of interest to plant breeders. C. cardenasii has been shown to be resistant to tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), and there is a possibility that one day this resistance may be transferred to other capsicum species through breeding.[2]

Vegetative characteristics

Capsicum cardenasii, like most members of the Pubescens complex, is a perennial plant that develops woody stems. The plant can grow up 2-3 feet high with a width of 1-1.5 feet. The leaves are narrow, lanceolate and pubescent. Plants generally produce between 1 and 2 flowers at the internodes. The petioles grow erect and have campanulate, pendant flowers.[4] The corolla is white and purple colored.[2] The plant produces small, fleshy, red fruit.

The plant requires a cool, freeze free environment and long growing season similar to its native environment in the Andes.[1]

Reproduction

After fertilization C. cardenasii develops small round red berries, sometimes referred to as chiltepins. The fruits contain a small number of seed. The fruit are pungent, near 30 000 SHU (Scoville Heat Units), making them quite spicy.

C.cardenasii is self-incompatible, exhibiting unilateral incompatibility.[5]

See also

References

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Thursday, April 07, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.