124 



FRUITS 



attached to this substance, as it is one of the very few pungent principles that 

 have been isolated in a crystalline form, most of them being obtainable only 

 in the state of oily liquids. 



Microscopical Characters. For the complete identification of the fruit of 

 C. minimum the following histological characters are necessary in addition to 

 the macroscopical characters detailed above. The outer epidermis of the 

 pericarp consists of rectangular cells with a delicately striated cuticle and straight, 

 thick, yellow, sparsely pitted walls abutting on parenchymatous tissue, the 

 cells of which contain droplets of red oil and have thin cellulose walls. The 



inner epidermis of the 

 pericarp exhibits groups 

 of sclerenchymatous cells 

 alternating with bands of 

 thin-walled parenchyma, 

 the whole forming a very 

 characteristic tissue. The 

 epidermis of the seed is 

 composed of very large 

 sinuous cells with thin 

 outer walls, but strongly 

 thickened and pitted ra- 

 dial and inner walls. 



Varieties. Sierra 

 Leone : these are re- 

 garded as the most 

 pungent of all. They 

 have the macro- 

 scopical and micro- 

 scopical characters 

 detailed above. The 

 pod is rather slender, 

 bright in colour, with 

 the stalk occasionally 

 attached. 



Nyassaland closely resemble Sierra Leone, but are rather brighter 

 and more free from stalk. 



Zanzibar are usually duller in colour, more stalky, and the pod rather 

 shorter and broader. 



Japanese : these are distinguished by their very bright, reddish 

 colour and freedom from stalk ; the cells of the epidermis of the 

 pericarp have a smooth (not striated) cuticle, strongly thickened walls 

 and radiate lumen ; the cells of the single-layered hypoderma have 

 rather thick, pitted, cuticularised walls. These fruits are less pungent 

 than the African, but are valued for their very bright colour. Accord- 

 ing to Holmes the small Japanese chillies of commerce are probably 

 derived from C. frutescens, Linne ; the larger from a form of C. 

 minimum , Roxburgh, 



FIG. 69. Capsicum an- 

 nuum, fruit. Natural 

 size. (Bentley and 

 Trimen.) 



FIG. 70. Natal capsicum 

 fruit. Natural size. 

 (Chemist and Drug- 

 gist.) 



