| Capsicum chinense | |
|---|---|
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| Habanero fruits | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Solanales |
| Family: | Solanaceae |
| Genus: | Capsicum |
| Species: | C. chinense |
| Binomial name | |
| Capsicum chinense | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
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Capsicum chinense, commonly known as a "habanero-type pepper", is a species ofchili pepper native to theAmericas.C. chinense varieties are well known for their unique flavors and, in many cases, exceptionalheat. Thehottest peppers in the world are members of this species, with aScoville heat unit score of 2.69 million measured in theC. chinense cultivarPepper X in 2023.[2]
Some taxonomists considerC. chinense to be within the speciesC. annuum, and they are a member of theC. annuum complex;[3][4] however,C. chinense andC. annuum pepper plants can sometimes be distinguished by the number of flowers or fruit per node – two to five forC. chinense and one forC. annuum – though this method is not always accurate.[5] The two species can also hybridize and generate inter-specific hybrids.C. frutescens may be the ancestor to theC. chinense species.[6]
The scientific species nameC. chinense orC. sinensis ("Chinese capsicum") is amisnomer. AllCapsicum species originated in theNew World.[7]Nikolaus Joseph von Jacquin (1727–1817), a Dutchbotanist, erroneously named the species in 1776, because he believed it originated inChina due to their prevalence inChinese cuisine; it however was later found to be introduced into China by earlier European explorers during theMing dynasty.[8]
WithinC. chinense, the appearance and characteristics of the plants can vary greatly. Varieties such as the well-knownHabanero grow to form small, compactperennial bushes about 0.5 metres (1 ft 8 in) in height. The flowers, as with mostCapsicum species, are small and white with five petals. When it forms, the fruit varies greatly in color and shape,[9] with red, orange, and yellow being the most common mature colors, but colors such as brown and purple are also known.[10] Another similarity with other species would be shallow roots, which are very common.
The origin ofC. chinense is not an easy matter to settle. However, several reports by McLeod, Pickersgill, and Eshbaugh put its center of origin in the tropical northern Amazon, ranging from Southern Brazil to Bolivia (Eshbaugh, W.H.1993. History and Exploitation of a serendipitous new crop discovery. p. 132-139. In: J. Janick and J.E. Simon (eds), New Crops. Wiley, New York). Later on, it migrated to the Caribbean basin and Cuba originating the term Habanero, meaning fromHabana (Havana, Cuba), where several peppers of this species were exported out from this port. (Despite the name, habaneros and other spicy-hot ingredients are rarely ever used in traditional Cuban cooking.)[11][12]
In warm climates such as these, it is a perennial and can last for several years, but in cooler climates,C. chinense does not usually survive the winter. It will readily germinate from the previous year's seed in the following growing season, however.[13]
Seeds ofC. chinense have been found in cave dwellings in Central America that indicate the natives have been consuming peppers since 7,000 B.C. InEastern Mexico, dry pepper fruits and seeds have been recovered from 9,000 years old burials inTamaulipas andTehuacán, further indicating their use since 7,000 B.C.[13] Domestication might have taken place 10,000 to 12,000 years ago in Central–East Mexico.[14]
C. chinense peppers have been cultivated for thousands of years in their native regions, but have only been available in areas outside of the Americas for about 400–500 years following theColumbian Exchange.[14] Selection in the new environments have led to the rise of new varieties that are bred and farmed in Asia and Africa.
C. chinense are also popular with many gardeners for their bright colors (ornamental value) and for their fruit.
C. chinense and its varieties have been used for millennia inYucatán and Caribbean-style cooking to add a significant amount of heat to their traditional food.[15] They are mainly used in stews and sauces, as well asmarinades for meats and chicken.
American food at times also uses some of thesechiles. For example, Habanero (a group ofC. chinense varieties) are commonly used inhot sauces and extra-spicysalsas, due to the popularity ofTex-Mex andMexican cuisines in American culture.[16]
C. chinense has many differentvarieties, including:
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