Capsicum flexuosum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Capsicum flexuosum |
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| Capsicum flexuosum at flowering | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Capsicum
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| Species: |
flexuosum
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Capsicum flexuosum is a special type of chili pepper that grows naturally in the southern parts of Brazil. It belongs to the Capsicum family, which includes all chili peppers. Unlike many other chili peppers, Capsicum flexuosum is only mildly spicy. It also has a bit of trouble pollinating itself, which means it sometimes needs help to make seeds.
What Does This Plant Look Like?
Capsicum flexuosum plants are easy to spot because of their unique flowers. These flowers are usually white and green, but sometimes they can have a touch of purple. The flowers have a bell shape, and their petals are green near the center, turning white at the edges.
When the fruit is ripe, it looks like tiny red berries. They are shaped like a bullet and are about 7 millimeters long. New plants grow from these seeds. This plant has 24 chromosomes in its cells, which are the tiny structures that carry genetic information.
How Is It Used?
In Brazil, where Capsicum flexuosum grows wild, people sometimes use its mild berries as a spice to flavor their food.
Scientists also find this wild pepper very useful for studying how different pepper types are related. They use it in genetic studies to understand the family tree of peppers and how different genes work. Because it can cross with many other pepper types, Capsicum flexuosum is sometimes called a "bridge species." This means it helps scientists create new crosses between pepper species that normally wouldn't be able to breed together, including those that are related to the peppers we eat every day.
