pepper

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• piment de Bresse
• chili
• pepper
• sweet-pepper
• Chilli
• Sweet Pepper
• Bird Pepper
• Seasoning Pepper
• Bell Pepper
• Chili Pepper
• Green Pepper
• red capsicum
• banana pepper
• chile pequin
• chilipiquin
• chilli pepper
• red pepper
• sweet bell pepper

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. It is classified within the order Solanales and the family Solanaceae. Finally, its specific taxonomic designation is placed within the genus Capsicum.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific distribution across various regions of Europe. In Northern Europe, it can be found in both Great Britain and Ireland. Moving toward Middle Europe, the species is also present in Austria. Its range extends further into the Czech-Slovak region as well. Finally, the geographical spread of Capsicum annuum includes Germany within the central part of the continent.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Capsicum annuum is characterized by a broad altitudinal distribution, ranging from sea level up to an elevation of 2000 m AMSL. It thrives across a diverse array of environmental conditions, though its specific primary habitat is often categorized as indeterminate or varied depending on the local microclimate. This wide elevational range allows the species to adapt to multiple ecological niches, ranging from low-lying tropical regions to higher montane environments, provided the necessary light and temperature requirements are met.

Elevational range max:

2000 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

(?)

Life history

The life history of Capsicum annuum is characterized by a diverse range of biological strategies, depending largely on the environmental conditions and specific cultivar. While it is often cultivated as an annual in temperate climates, its natural life cycle is categorized as perennial, with the potential to exhibit variable growth patterns including biennial stages. Morphologically, the plant functions as a therophyte, completing its primary life cycle through a rapid reproductive phase that relies on seed production. In terms of its foliage management, the species is classified as deciduous, shedding its leaves as it transitions through different seasonal stages or responds to environmental stressors.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

Morphologically, Capsicum annuum is characterized as a terrestrial herb and forb that grows as an independent, non-parasitic organism. The plant exhibits a non-woody structure and is fundamentally self-supporting rather than acting as a climber, liana, or vine. In terms of its physical stature, it maintains a variable height, typically ranging from a minimum of 0.2 m to a maximum of 2 m, with a mean plant height of approximately 0.7 m. As a terrestrial species, it does not function as an epiphyte or an aquatic plant.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

2 m

Plant height mean:

0.7 m

Plant height min:

0.2 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Capsicum annuum is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency. The plant's vegetative growth is heavily dependent on its leaf morphology, which exhibits significant variability in dimensions; leaf length typically averages 8.5 cm, with a minimum recorded at 1 cm and a maximum reaching up to 13 cm. Similarly, leaf width shows a broad range, spanning from a minimum of 1.5 cm to a mean of 2.75 cm, with a maximum width of up to 12 cm. These morphological traits contribute to a mean Specific Leaf Area (SLA) of 147.2 cm²/g, reflecting the plant's strategy for light interception and resource allocation. Furthermore, Capsicum annuum does not function as a nitrogen fixer, meaning it relies on external soil nitrogen sources rather than symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria to meet its nutritional requirements.

Leaf length max:

13 cm

Leaf length mean:

8.5 cm

Leaf length min:

1 cm

Leaf width max:

12 cm

Leaf width mean:

2.75 cm

Leaf width min:

1.5 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) mean:

147.2 cm²/g

Reproduction

The reproduction of Capsicum annuum is primarily a sexual process, as asexual reproduction is notably absent. The flowering cycle typically commences in June and continues through September. The plant utilizes biotic pollination syndromes, specifically relying on insects to facilitate the transfer of pollen. While pollination is insect-mediated, self-fertilization is present, ensuring seed set. The resulting fruit is classified as a fleshy berry that is indehiscent. These berries reach an average length of 10 cm and an average width of 1.5 cm. Contained within the fruit are seeds with highly consistent dimensions, characterized by a mean length of 3 mm, a mean width of 3 mm, and a mean volume of 2.5 mm³ (with both minimum and maximum volume values also recorded at 2.5 mm³). The seed mass varies slightly, with a mean mass of 0.004335 g, ranging from a minimum of 0.00285 g to a maximum of 0.00787 g.

Dehiscence :

indehiscent

Flowering time :

Jun

Flowering time :

Sep

Fruit dryness :

fleshy

Fruit length mean:

10 cm

Fruit type :

berry

Fruit width mean:

1.5 cm

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Seed length mean:

3 mm

Seed mass max:

0.00787 g

Seed mass mean:

0.004335 g

Seed mass min:

0.00285 g

Seed volume max:

2.5 mm³

Seed width mean:

3 mm

Self fertilization :

present

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Capsicum annuum has 4 reported plant parts identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include fruit, root, seed, stem.

Fruit

1. Journal of natural products
2. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry
3. Pakistan journal of biological sciences : PJBS
4. Current drug research reviews

Root

1. Journal of natural products

Seed

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Stem

1. Journal of natural products

Chemicals

Capsicum annuum has 442 reported phytochemicals identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Capsaicin, Capsanthin, CAPSAICINOIDS, Capsorubin, Dihydrocapsaicin.

Capsaicin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Heliyon
3. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Archivos latinoamericanos de nutricion
5. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica

Capsanthin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Scientific reports
3. Cancer letters
4. Current genetics
5. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

CAPSAICINOIDS

1. International journal of biological macromolecules
2. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry
3. Poultry science
4. Journal of forensic sciences
5. Current drug research reviews

Capsorubin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Current genetics
3. The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology
4. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry
5. The Journal of biological chemistry

Dihydrocapsaicin

1. Dr. Duke
2. International journal of molecular sciences
3. PloS one
4. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry
5. Journal of forensic sciences

Flavonoids

1. International journal of molecular sciences
2. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry
3. Heliyon
4. Food chemistry
5. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Antheraxanthin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
3. The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology
4. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry

Capsidiol

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules and cells
3. Plant & cell physiology
4. Advances in experimental medicine and biology

Carotenoids

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry
3. The Plant cell
4. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

beta-carotene

1. Dr. Duke
2. The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology
3. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry
4. Mutation research

Activities

Capsicum annuum has 787 reported activities identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antibacterial, Analgesic, Anticancer, Anticarcinogenic.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Scientific reports
3. Heliyon
4. Food chemistry
5. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Zhonghua Minguo wei sheng wu ji mian yi xue za zhi = Chinese journal of microbiology and immunology
3. Heliyon

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Advances in therapy

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke
2. Food chemistry

Anticarcinogenic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Mutation research

Antifungal

1. Scientific reports
2. Food chemistry

Antimutagenic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Mutation research

Antiobesity

1. Dr. Duke
2. Food chemistry

5-Alpha-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

5-HETE-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Capsicum annuum has 60 reported investigations on conditions identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include cancer, carcinogenesis, cardiovascular diseases, diabetic neuropathy, oxidative stress.

Cancer

1. Mutation research
2. 3 Biotech
3. Planta medica
4. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Carcinogenesis

1. Mutation research
2. Cancer letters

Cardiovascular diseases

1. Heliyon
2. Current pharmaceutical design

Diabetic neuropathy

1. Annals of emergency medicine
2. Drugs

Oxidative stress

1. Plant foods for human nutrition (Dordrecht, Netherlands)
2. Food chemistry

Pain

1. Drugs
2. International journal of pharmaceutics

Postherpetic neuralgia

1. Annals of emergency medicine
2. Drugs

Salt stress

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Genomics data

Scabies

1. GMS hygiene and infection control
2. Dermatologic therapy

Babesia bovis

1. Veterinary world

Preparations

Capsicum annuum has 14 reported preparations identified across 7 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include MeOH extract of the dried stems and roots, acetone, aqueous extraction, drop, endophytic fungal extracts.

Meoh extract of the dried stems and roots

1. Journal of natural products

Acetone

1. Scientific reports

Aqueous extraction

1. TheScientificWorldJournal

Drop

1. Advances in therapy

Endophytic fungal extracts

1. PeerJ

Ethanolic extraction

1. TheScientificWorldJournal

Hydro-methanolic seed extract

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Methanol

1. Scientific reports

Methanolic extract

1. Veterinary world

Native protein

1. The Journal of biological chemistry