.136 sturtevant's notes on edible plants 



the pods while green are eaten with various substances, under the name of chille verde, 

 while the dishes prepared with the red pods are called chille color om} 



Capsicum was brought to Spain by Columbus^ in 1493. It is mentioned in England 

 in 1548 and was seen by Clusius* in Moravia in 1585. Clusius asserts that the plant 

 was brought to India by the Portuguese. Gerarde * says these plants are brought from 

 foreign countries, as Guinea, India and those parts, into Spain and Italy, whence we have 

 received seed for ojir English gardens. There are many peppers, some of which it is more 

 convenient to describe as species 



C. annuum Linn, cayenne pepper, chillies, guinea pepper, pimento, red pepper. 

 Tropical regions. Booth ' says this species was introduced into Europe by the 

 Spaniards and that it was cultivated in England in 1548. The fruits are variable, some 

 being yellow, others red and. others black. The pods, according to Loudon,' are long 

 or short, round or cherry-shaped. In lower Hungary, the variety now very largely cul- 

 tivated for commercial purposes, has a spherical, scarlet fruit. It is cultivated in India,' 

 in America, and, indeed, almost everywhere in warm coiuitries. 



C. baccatum Linn, bird pepper, birds-eye pepper. 



Tropical regions. Booth * says this species is indigenous to both the East and West 

 Indies and has been grown in England since 1731. The pods are erect, roundish, egg- 

 shaped, very pungent. It was probably early introduced into India as shown by the 

 belief that it is native. It is used like other red peppers by the Mexicans who call it 

 chipatane.^ 



C. cerasiforme Mill, cherry pepper. 



Tropics. Its stem is 12 to 15 inches high; fniit erect, of a deep, rich, glossy scarlet 

 when ripe; of intense piquancy. A variety occurs with larger, more conical and pendent 

 pods, and there is also a variety with yellow fruit.'" 



C. frutescens Linn. age. chili pepper, goat pepper, spur pepper. 



Tropical America. This plant is considered by some botanists as a native of India, 

 as it has constantly been found in a wild state in the Eastern Islands, but Rimiphius " 

 argues its American origin from its being so constantly called Chile. It is the aji or uchu 

 seen by Cieza de Leon '^ in 1532-50, during his travels in Peru and even now is a favorite 

 condiment with the Peruvian Indians. This pepper is cultivated in every part of India, 



> U. S. D. A. Rpt. 425. 1870. 

 Irving, W. Co/wm. 1:238. 1848. 

 Fluckiger and Hanbiiry Pharm. 406. 1879. 



* Gerarde, J. Herb. 365. 1633 or 1636. 2nd Ed. 

 'Booth, W.B. Treas. Bot. 1:219. 1870. 



Loudon, J. C. Hort. 607. i860. 



' Firminger, T. A. C. Card. Ind. 153. 1874. 

 Booth, W. B. Treas. Bot. 1:219. 1870. 



Torrey, J. Bot. U. S. Mex. Bound. Sitrv. 152. 1859. (C. microphyllum) 

 "Burr, F. Field, Card. Veg. 621. 1863. 

 " Ainslie, W. Mat. Ind. 1 : 306. 1 826. 

 " Markham, C. R. Trav. Cieza de Leon 1532-50. Hakl. Soc. Ed. 232. 1864. Note. 



