Taxon: Capsicum annuum L. var. glabriusculum (Dunal) Heiser & Pickersgill

Summary

Genus:

Capsicum

Family:

Solanaceae

Subfamily:

Solanoideae

Tribe:

Capsiceae

Nomen number:

102342

Place of publication:

Baileya 19:156. 1975

Verified:

01/22/1997 ARS Systematic Botanists.

Accessions:

74 (73 active, 71 available) in National Plant Germplasm System. (Map it)

Other conspecific taxa

Capsicum annuum L. (3764 active accession[s])
Capsicum annuum L. var. annuum (0 active accession[s])

Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations

Basionym
Capsicum hispidum Dunal var. glabriusculum Dunal

Heterotypic Synonym(s)
Capsicum annuum L. var. aviculare auct.
Capsicum annuum L. var. minimum (Mill.) Heiser
Capsicum microphyllum Dunal

No images

Conservation Status

Reference(s)

Adams, C. 1972. Flowering plants of Jamaica Note: treats as Capsicum baccatum L.
Aguilar-Meléndez, A. et al. 2009. Genetic diversity and structure in semiwild and domesticated chiles (Capsicum annuum; Solanaceae) from Mexico. Amer. J. Bot. 96:1190-1202.
Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
APHIS. Agricultural Risk Management System United States Department of Agriculture.
ASDM Sonoran Desert Digital Library. Arizona Sonoran Desert Museum digital library (on-line resource).
Balick, M. J. et al. 2000. Checklist of the vascular plants of Belize, with common names and uses. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 85
Barboza, G. E. et al. 2022. Monograph of wild and cultivated chili peppers (Capsicum L., Solanaceae). PhytoKeys 200:1-423. DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.200.71667. Note: 2n=24
Carrizo García, C. et al. 2016. Phylogenetic relationships, diversification and expansion of chili peppers (Capsicum, Solanaceae). Ann. Bot. (Oxford) 118:35-51.
Eshbaugh, W. H. 1980. The taxonomy of the genus Capsicum (Solanaceae) - 1980. Phytologia 47:153-166.
Eshbaugh, W. H. 1993. Peppers: history and exploitation of a serendipitous new crop discovery. In: Janick, J. & J. E. Simmon, eds., New crops 132-139.
Gómez-Pompa, A. & V. Sosa, eds. 1978-. Flora de Veracruz.
González-Jara, P. et al. 2011. Impact of human management on the genetic variation of wild pepper, Capsicum annuum var. glabriusculum. PLoS One 6(12):e28715.
Hayano-Kanashiro, C. et al. 2016. Wild pepper Capsicum annuum L. var. glabriusculum: Taxonomy, plant morphology, genome sequencing, and phytochemical compounds. Crop Sci. (Madison) 56:1-11.
Heiser, C. B., Jr. & B. Pickersgill. 1975. Names for the bird peppers (Capsicum - Solanaceae). Baileya 19:151-156.
Hernández-Verdugo, S. et al. 2012. Caracterización y variación ecogeográfica de poblaciones de chile (Capsicum annuum var. glabriusculum silvestre del noroeste de México. Polibotanica 33:175-191.
Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
Kearney, T. H. & R. H. Peebles. 1969. Arizona flora, ed. 2. Note: treats as Capsicum baccatum L.
Kraft, K. H. et al. 2013. A new collection of wild populations of Capsicum in Mexico and the southern United States. Genet. Resources Crop Evol. 60:225-232.
Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
Liogier, H. A. 1984-. Descriptive flora of Puerto Rico and adjacent islands.
Loaiza-Figueroa, F. et al. 1989. Patterns of genetic variation of the genus Capsicum (Solanaceae) in Mexico. Pl. Syst. Evol. 165:159-188.
Markle, G. M. et al., eds. 1998. Food and feed crops of the United States, ed. 2
McGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2 American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland.
Mongkolporn, O. & P. W. J. Taylor. 2011. Chapter 4. Capsicum. In: Kole, C., ed., Wild crop relatives: genomic and breeding resources, vegetables 43-57. Note: mentions as the only tetraploid (2n=48) species in the genus
Monteiro da Silva, C. E. et al. 2011. Reproductive characterization of interspecific hybrids among Capsicum species. Crop Breed. Appl. Biotechnol. 11:241-249.
Moscone, E. A. et al. 2007. The evolution of chili peppers (Capsicum - Solanaceae): a cytogenetic perspective. Acta Hort. 745:137-170.
NatureServe. 2009-. NatureServe Explorer: an online encyclopedia of life (on-line resource)
Parry, C. et al. 2022. Reproductive compatibility in Capsicum is not necessarily reflected in genetic or phenotypic similarity between species complexes. PLoS One 16:e0243689. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0243689.
Porcher, M. H. et al. Searchable World Wide Web Multilingual Multiscript Plant Name Database (MMPND) (on-line resource).
Proctor, G. R. 1984. Flora of the Cayman Islands. Kew Bulletin Additional Series XI. Note: treats as Capsicum baccatum L.
Qin, C. et al. 2014. Whole-genome sequencing of cultivated and wild peppers provides insights into Capsicum domestication and specialization. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 111:5135-5140.
Standley, P. C. & J. A. Steyermark. 1946-1976. Flora of Guatemala.
Sudré, C. P. et al. 2010. Genetic variability in domesticated Capsicum spp. as assessed by morphological and agronomic data in mixed statistical analysis. Genet. Molec. Res. 9:283-294.
Turner, B. L. et al. 2003. Atlas of the vascular plants of Texas. Sida Botanical Miscellany no. 24 Note: treats as Capsicum annuum L.
University of Texas at Austin, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. Native Plant Information Network database (on-line resource).
Walsh, B. M. & S. B. Hoot. 2001. Phylogenetic relationships of Capsicum (Solanaceae) using DNA sequences from two noncoding regions: The chloroplast atpB-rbcL spacer region and nuclear waxy introns. Int. J. Pl. Sci. 162:1409-1418. Note: = Capsicum annuum var. "avicular"
Weakley, A. S. 2007. Flora of the Carolinas, Virginia, and Georgia, and surrounding areas.
Woodson, R. E. & R. W. Schery, eds. 1943-1980. Flora of Panama.
Wunderlin, R. & B. Hansen. Atlas of Florida vascular plants (on-line resource).
Zijlstra, S. et al. 1991. Pollen tube growth in interspecific crosses between Capsicum species. HortScience 26:585-586.

Common names

Language	Name	seq	Citation
English	American bird pepper	1	Woodson, R. E. & R. W. Schery, eds. 1943-1980. Flora of Panama.
English	bird pepper	1	Heiser, C. B., Jr. & B. Pickersgill. 1975. Names for the bird peppers (Capsicum - Solanaceae). Baileya 19:151-156.
English	turkey pepper	1	University of Texas at Austin, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. Native Plant Information Network database (on-line resource).
Spanish	chile pequin	2	University of Texas at Austin, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. Native Plant Information Network database (on-line resource).
Spanish	chilipiquin	2	Heiser, C. B., Jr. & B. Pickersgill. 1975. Names for the bird peppers (Capsicum - Solanaceae). Baileya 19:151-156.
Spanish	chiltepe	2	Standley, P. C. & J. A. Steyermark. 1946-1976. Flora of Guatemala.
Spanish	chiltepin	2	Hayano-Kanashiro, C. et al. 2016. Wild pepper Capsicum annuum L. var. glabriusculum: Taxonomy, plant morphology, genome sequencing, and phytochemical compounds. Crop Sci. (Madison) 56:1-11.
Spanish	piquin	2	McGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2 American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland.
Spanish (Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru)	ají	2	Barboza, G. E. et al. 2022. Monograph of wild and cultivated chili peppers (Capsicum L., Solanaceae). PhytoKeys 200:1-423. DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.200.71667. Note: 2n=24
Spanish (Mexico)	chile	2	Barboza, G. E. et al. 2022. Monograph of wild and cultivated chili peppers (Capsicum L., Solanaceae). PhytoKeys 200:1-423. DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.200.71667. Note: 2n=24
Spanish (Mexico)	chipilin	2	Barboza, G. E. et al. 2022. Monograph of wild and cultivated chili peppers (Capsicum L., Solanaceae). PhytoKeys 200:1-423. DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.200.71667. Note: 2n=24
Swedish	chiltepinpeppar	2	Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)

Distribution

order_code	Status	Continent	Subcontinent	Country	State	Note	Reference
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Baja California Sur		Kraft, K. H. et al. 2013. A new collection of wild populations of Capsicum in Mexico and the southern United States. Genet. Resources Crop Evol. 60:225-232.
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Chihuahua		Loaiza-Figueroa, F. et al. 1989. Patterns of genetic variation of the genus Capsicum (Solanaceae) in Mexico. Pl. Syst. Evol. 165:159-188.
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Nuevo León		Loaiza-Figueroa, F. et al. 1989. Patterns of genetic variation of the genus Capsicum (Solanaceae) in Mexico. Pl. Syst. Evol. 165:159-188.
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	San Luis Potosí		González-Jara, P. et al. 2011. Impact of human management on the genetic variation of wild pepper, Capsicum annuum var. glabriusculum. PLoS One 6(12):e28715.
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Sinaloa		Hernández-Verdugo, S. et al. 2012. Caracterización y variación ecogeográfica de poblaciones de chile (Capsicum annuum var. glabriusculum silvestre del noroeste de México. Polibotanica 33:175-191.
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Sonora		Hernández-Verdugo, S. et al. 2012. Caracterización y variación ecogeográfica de poblaciones de chile (Capsicum annuum var. glabriusculum silvestre del noroeste de México. Polibotanica 33:175-191.
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Tamaulipas		Loaiza-Figueroa, F. et al. 1989. Patterns of genetic variation of the genus Capsicum (Solanaceae) in Mexico. Pl. Syst. Evol. 165:159-188.
1	Native	Northern America	South-Central U.S.A.	United States	Texas		Turner, B. L. et al. 2003. Atlas of the vascular plants of Texas. Sida Botanical Miscellany no. 24 Note: treats as Capsicum annuum L.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Florida		Wunderlin, R. & B. Hansen. Atlas of Florida vascular plants (on-line resource).
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Georgia	e.	Weakley, A. S. 2007. Flora of the Carolinas, Virginia, and Georgia, and surrounding areas.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Louisiana		NatureServe. 2009-. NatureServe Explorer: an online encyclopedia of life (on-line resource)
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Campeche		Loaiza-Figueroa, F. et al. 1989. Patterns of genetic variation of the genus Capsicum (Solanaceae) in Mexico. Pl. Syst. Evol. 165:159-188.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Chiapas		Kraft, K. H. et al. 2013. A new collection of wild populations of Capsicum in Mexico and the southern United States. Genet. Resources Crop Evol. 60:225-232.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Guerrero		Aguilar-Meléndez, A. et al. 2009. Genetic diversity and structure in semiwild and domesticated chiles (Capsicum annuum; Solanaceae) from Mexico. Amer. J. Bot. 96:1190-1202.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Jalisco		Aguilar-Meléndez, A. et al. 2009. Genetic diversity and structure in semiwild and domesticated chiles (Capsicum annuum; Solanaceae) from Mexico. Amer. J. Bot. 96:1190-1202.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Michoacán de Ocampo		Aguilar-Meléndez, A. et al. 2009. Genetic diversity and structure in semiwild and domesticated chiles (Capsicum annuum; Solanaceae) from Mexico. Amer. J. Bot. 96:1190-1202.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Morelos		Aguilar-Meléndez, A. et al. 2009. Genetic diversity and structure in semiwild and domesticated chiles (Capsicum annuum; Solanaceae) from Mexico. Amer. J. Bot. 96:1190-1202.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Nayarit		Hernández-Verdugo, S. et al. 2012. Caracterización y variación ecogeográfica de poblaciones de chile (Capsicum annuum var. glabriusculum silvestre del noroeste de México. Polibotanica 33:175-191.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Oaxaca		Kraft, K. H. et al. 2013. A new collection of wild populations of Capsicum in Mexico and the southern United States. Genet. Resources Crop Evol. 60:225-232.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Querétaro		Kraft, K. H. et al. 2013. A new collection of wild populations of Capsicum in Mexico and the southern United States. Genet. Resources Crop Evol. 60:225-232.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Quintana Roo		Aguilar-Meléndez, A. et al. 2009. Genetic diversity and structure in semiwild and domesticated chiles (Capsicum annuum; Solanaceae) from Mexico. Amer. J. Bot. 96:1190-1202.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Tabasco		Loaiza-Figueroa, F. et al. 1989. Patterns of genetic variation of the genus Capsicum (Solanaceae) in Mexico. Pl. Syst. Evol. 165:159-188.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave		Gómez-Pompa, A. & V. Sosa, eds. 1978-. Flora de Veracruz.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Yucatán		Aguilar-Meléndez, A. et al. 2009. Genetic diversity and structure in semiwild and domesticated chiles (Capsicum annuum; Solanaceae) from Mexico. Amer. J. Bot. 96:1190-1202.
1	Native	Northern America	Southwestern U.S.A.	United States	Arizona	s.	Kearney, T. H. & R. H. Peebles. 1969. Arizona flora, ed. 2. Note: treats as Capsicum baccatum L.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Anguilla			Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Bahamas			Correll, D. S. & H. B. Correll. 1982. Flora of the Bahama archipelago.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Barbados			Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Cayman Islands			Proctor, G. R. 1984. Flora of the Cayman Islands. Kew Bulletin Additional Series XI. Note: treats as Capsicum baccatum L.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Dominica			Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Dominican Republic			Liogier, H. A. 1981-. Flora of Hispaniola: Part 1; La Flora de la Española. Part II-.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Grenada			Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Guadeloupe			Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Haiti			Liogier, H. A. 1981-. Flora of Hispaniola: Part 1; La Flora de la Española. Part II-.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Jamaica			Adams, C. 1972. Flowering plants of Jamaica Note: treats as Capsicum baccatum L.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Martinique			Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Montserrat			Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Netherlands Antilles			Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	St. Kitts and Nevis			Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	St. Lucia			Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	St. Vincent and Grenadines			Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	United States	Puerto Rico		Liogier, H. A. 1984-. Descriptive flora of Puerto Rico and adjacent islands.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Belize			Balick, M. J. et al. 2000. Checklist of the vascular plants of Belize, with common names and uses. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 85
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Costa Rica			Standley, P. C. & J. A. Steyermark. 1946-1976. Flora of Guatemala.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Guatemala			Standley, P. C. & J. A. Steyermark. 1946-1976. Flora of Guatemala.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Honduras			Standley, P. C. & J. A. Steyermark. 1946-1976. Flora of Guatemala.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Nicaragua			Stevens, W. D. et al., eds. 2001. Flora de Nicaragua. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 85(1-3).
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Panama			Woodson, R. E. & R. W. Schery, eds. 1943-1980. Flora of Panama.
1	Native	Southern America	Western South America	Colombia			Liogier, H. A. 1984-. Descriptive flora of Puerto Rico and adjacent islands.
2	Cultivated	Northern America		Mexico		n.	González-Jara, P. et al. 2011. Impact of human management on the genetic variation of wild pepper, Capsicum annuum var. glabriusculum. PLoS One 6(12):e28715.
4	Naturalized					natzd. elsewhere

Native
Northern America

SOUTHEASTERN U.S.A.: United States [Florida, Georgia (e.), Louisiana]
SOUTH-CENTRAL U.S.A.: United States [Texas]
SOUTHWESTERN U.S.A.: United States [Arizona (s.)]
NORTHERN MEXICO: Mexico [Baja California Sur, Chihuahua, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Sinaloa, Sonora, Tamaulipas]
SOUTHERN MEXICO: Mexico [Campeche, Chiapas, Guerrero, Jalisco, Michoacán de Ocampo, Morelos, Nayarit, Oaxaca, Querétaro, Quintana Roo, Tabasco, Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave, Yucatán]

Southern America

CARIBBEAN: Anguilla, Netherlands Antilles, Bahamas, Barbados, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Guadeloupe, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, Montserrat, Martinique, United States [Puerto Rico], St. Vincent and Grenadines
CENTRAL AMERICA: Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama
WESTERN SOUTH AMERICA: Colombia

Cultivated
Northern America

REGION: Mexico (n.)

Naturalized (natzd. elsewhere)

Reference(s)

Adams, C. 1972. Flowering plants of Jamaica Note: treats as Capsicum baccatum L.
Aguilar-Meléndez, A. et al. 2009. Genetic diversity and structure in semiwild and domesticated chiles (Capsicum annuum; Solanaceae) from Mexico. Amer. J. Bot. 96:1190-1202.
Balick, M. J. et al. 2000. Checklist of the vascular plants of Belize, with common names and uses. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 85
Correll, D. S. & H. B. Correll. 1982. Flora of the Bahama archipelago.
Gómez-Pompa, A. & V. Sosa, eds. 1978-. Flora de Veracruz.
González-Jara, P. et al. 2011. Impact of human management on the genetic variation of wild pepper, Capsicum annuum var. glabriusculum. PLoS One 6(12):e28715.
Hernández-Verdugo, S. et al. 2012. Caracterización y variación ecogeográfica de poblaciones de chile (Capsicum annuum var. glabriusculum silvestre del noroeste de México. Polibotanica 33:175-191.
Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
Kearney, T. H. & R. H. Peebles. 1969. Arizona flora, ed. 2. Note: treats as Capsicum baccatum L.
Kraft, K. H. et al. 2013. A new collection of wild populations of Capsicum in Mexico and the southern United States. Genet. Resources Crop Evol. 60:225-232.
Liogier, H. A. 1981-. Flora of Hispaniola: Part 1; La Flora de la Española. Part II-.
Liogier, H. A. 1984-. Descriptive flora of Puerto Rico and adjacent islands.
Loaiza-Figueroa, F. et al. 1989. Patterns of genetic variation of the genus Capsicum (Solanaceae) in Mexico. Pl. Syst. Evol. 165:159-188.
NatureServe. 2009-. NatureServe Explorer: an online encyclopedia of life (on-line resource)
Proctor, G. R. 1984. Flora of the Cayman Islands. Kew Bulletin Additional Series XI. Note: treats as Capsicum baccatum L.
Standley, P. C. & J. A. Steyermark. 1946-1976. Flora of Guatemala.
Stevens, W. D. et al., eds. 2001. Flora de Nicaragua. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 85(1-3).
Turner, B. L. et al. 2003. Atlas of the vascular plants of Texas. Sida Botanical Miscellany no. 24 Note: treats as Capsicum annuum L.
Weakley, A. S. 2007. Flora of the Carolinas, Virginia, and Georgia, and surrounding areas.
Woodson, R. E. & R. W. Schery, eds. 1943-1980. Flora of Panama.
Wunderlin, R. & B. Hansen. Atlas of Florida vascular plants (on-line resource).

Economic Uses

Usage	Type	Note	Reference
Food additives	flavoring	as Capsicum annuum var. aviculare	Eshbaugh, W. H. 1993. Peppers: history and exploitation of a serendipitous new crop discovery. In: Janick, J. & J. E. Simmon, eds., New crops 132-139.
Medicines	folklore		McGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2 American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland.

Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=102342. Accessed 15 April 2026.