Capsicum. pentandria monogynia. 573 



CAPSICUM. Schreb. gen. X. 338. 



Corol wheel-shaped. Anthers converging. Berry supe- 

 rior, juiceless, from two to three-celled. 



1. C. pnrpureum. R. 



Shrubby. Leaves ovate-lanceolate. Peduncles solitary in 

 the divisions of the brancblets; after the blossom drops erect. 

 Berry erect, ovate, dark purple. 



In 179fJ, I found a single plant of this species in the gar- 

 den, but from whence it came I could never learn ; most like- 

 ly from the Molucca Islands. The seeds hive for these thir- 

 teen years continued to produce, in all situations, plants ex- 

 actly the same as the original one; this circumstance, with 

 the general colour and erect ovate fruit, leaves little room to 

 doubt its being a distinct species. 



Stem short, branches numerous, dichotomous ; young shoots 

 almost four-sided, and deeply tinged with dark purple; whole 

 height from two to four feet. Leaves solitary at the divisions 

 of the branches, or in pairs where the branches do not divide, 

 petioled, ovate-lanceolate ; they are also tinged with the pre- 

 vailing dark purple colour of the whole plant, particularly 

 the nerves and veins. Peduncles solitary in the divisions of 

 the branches, as long as the petioles. Flowers a beautiful 

 purple, drooping. Berry ovate, erect, of a dark-purple till 

 ripe, then of a dull reddish colour, generally three-celled, but 

 the partitions are often discontinued towards the apex. 



The envelope of the seed is rather less acrid than that of the 

 other sorts in use at our tables. 



2. C. annuum. Willd. sp. i. 1050. 



Shrubby. Leaves ovate-lanceolate. Peduncles solitary. 

 Flowers drooping. Fruit oblong, reflex. 



This does not appear to be a native of India, as the Hindoos 

 have no name for it, nor is it even found in their gardens. In 

 India the Capsicums are all shrubby, but produce so badly 



