Stats

Lifespan: Perennial
Size: Medium
Diet: Photosynthetic
Biome: Tropical rainforest
Range: South America
Movement: Sessile
Breeding: Seeds
Defense: Toxins
Status: Uncommon

About

Despite its misleading species name, Capsicum chinense is entirely native to the Americas and includes some of the world's hottest peppers — habaneros, scotch bonnets, and the Carolina Reaper all belong here, with some varieties exceeding 2 million Scoville heat units.

Life cycle

1.
seed
A dormant seed waits for water and warmth before germinating.
2.
sprout
A first shoot emerges with cotyledon leaves and a tap root reaching down.
3.
sapling
A young plant grows true leaves and a stem or trunk, putting on height each season.
4.
mature
Fully grown, flowering or fruiting at adult size.

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Taxonomy

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Solanales
Family: Solanaceae
Genus: Capsicum
Species: Capsicum chinense