’ 
56 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN. 
the number of species that would be accepted by botanists 
would be very small.* Dr. H. H. Rusby wrote Dr. 
Sturtevant, April 9th, 1888, saying: ‘I have seen a good 
deal of the genus in South America and have observed a 
great tendency to variation. I have seen but few well dis- 
tinguished forms and about these are grouped hosts, pre- 
senting every shade of variation in size, color, form, and 
surface-planes of fruit. There are corresponding differ- 
ences in pungency and flavor, in detecting which the natives 
are very expert. Kach man will have some cherished 
plant that to him is very distinct, and far superior to 
anything that his neighbors can boast.’’ 
In regard to the great variability of Capsicum, Professor 
G. S. Jenman, of the Government Botanist’s Office at 
Georgetown, British Guiana, wrote Mr. Dewart, August 24, 
1892, that the genus there presents an infinite variety, and 
where several kinds are grown together the fruit of par- 
ticular forms is often much modified by cross-fertilization, 
though this apparently does not apply to all varieties. 
Professor J. H. Hart, Superintendent of the Botanical 
Department of the Royal Botanical Gardens at Trinidad, 
during the same year wrote Mr. Dewart as follows; «We 
do not make any specific distinction between the Capsicums 
from here for the simple reason that they degenerate so 
quickly to a simple form under cultivation that we cannot 
refer them to more than a single species. Some of the 
finest will in four or five generations be nothing more than 
‘ Bird-pepper’ of which the forms are as many as the 
days of the year.”’ 
My work mainly adds strong testimony to the observa- 
tions of these gentlemen. A number of well-marked types 
have been preserved for centuries, and within them various 
forms have constantly appeared. Upon these forms, in 
my opinion, a large number of the so-called species have 
been based. I have therefore separated them into two 
species and preserved the well-fixed types as botanical 
* Agricultural Science 2: 1. 1888, 
