| Capsicum chacoense | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Asterids |
| Order: | Solanales |
| Family: | Solanaceae |
| Genus: | Capsicum |
| Species: | C. chacoense |
| Binomial name | |
| Capsicum chacoense Jacq. |
|
| Heat | Very Hot (SR: 50,000-75,000)[1] |
|---|
Capsicum chacoense is a species of the genus Capsicum which is native to South America. While it has not been cultivated by humans (It exists only in the wild), it, like all Capsicums, is perfectly edible, with a heat rating of 7.
Contents |
Chacoense plants are compact perennial (annual in cooler climates) shrubs that grow close to the ground and grow up to 1 metre in height and width. The flowers appear in summer and are small, white flowers with five petals. The fruit grows to be around three centimetres in length when fully ripe, and is bright red in colour, with a roundish/triangular shape. Plants tend to crop heavily each season and in warm areas can easily keep producing for four or five years. The plant's leaves are large, flat, and roundish, with a point at the end. The plant branches evenly, forming a small small to medium shrub in most cases.[2][3]
C. chacoense is native to Argentina, Bolivia, and Paraguay, and for the most part is only known to occur in its native region.
This chilli variety is not known to have ever been cultivated for food or any other purpose, and while it could be useful as a mammilian pest deterrent owing to its intense heat, this has not been utilized like it has with other species like C. chinense "Bhut Jolokia" or C. chinense "Naga Morich".[4]