SOLANACE^ 595 



produce a full crop before frost, except in the Southern States, unless started 

 under glass. 



Other Species. — The only other species of Capsicum of any importance is 

 C. frutescens. This is a shrubby perennial 6 to lo feet high. Its fruit does 

 not ripen well in northern latitudes. The fruit is red, small, and is often 

 called "bird pepper." 



Tjrpes. — Irish, in his excellent monograph of the genus 

 Capsicum, places the numerous commercial varieties into 

 seven types or botanical varieties (Fig. 243). The following 

 key to these tj^^es is taken (verbatim) from this work. 



Key to Botanical Varieties of Capsicum Annuum 



Fruit oblong-linear. 



Calyx usually embracing base of fruit. 



Fruit usually less than i J-^ inches long; peduncles about as long or longer, 

 C. annuum conoides (Coral Gem, Tabasco, Cayenne, Orange-red 

 Cluster). 

 Fruit usually more than i]^ inches long; peduncles shorter. 

 Leaves and fruit fascicled; fruit erect, C. annuum fasciculaliim (Red 



Cluster, Yellow Cluster). 

 Leaves and fruit not fascicled, C. annuum acuminatum {ChiWi, Long 

 Cayenne, Nepal Chili). 

 Calyx not usually embracing base of fruit, except in the Ivory Tusk variety, 

 C. annuum longum (Black Nubian, Long Red, County Fair, Cardinal, 

 Long Yellow, Ivory Tusk). 

 Fruit oblate or oblong, truncated, deeply lobed, furrowed and wrinkled; flesh 

 nuld, K 2 to i^ inch thick, C. annuum grossum (Monstrous, Sweet Spanish, 

 Bell, Sweet Mountain, Golden Dawn, Ruby King, Brazilian Upright, 

 Golden Upright, Squash). 

 Fruit subconical, ovate or elliptical, slightly longer than broad, ^ to 2 inches 

 long; calyx not embracing base, C. annuum abbreviatum (Celestial, Etna, 

 Kaleidoscope, Red Wrinkled, Princess of Wales). 

 Fruit generally smooth, oval, spherical, cherry or heart-shaped, % to ij^ 

 inches in diameter; calyx seated on the base, C. annuum cerasiforme 

 (Little Gem, Cherry, Oxheart). 



Composition. — All varieties of pepper are more or less 

 pungent. The principle which imparts the pungent taste is 

 a crystalline nitrogenous compound called capsaicin. In the 

 smaller peppers (Coral Gem, Tabasco, Chilli, Cayenne 



