Capsicum sinense

Description

Capsicum chinense, commonly known as the "bonnet pepper" is a species of chili pepper native to the Americas. C. chinense varieties are well known for their exceptional heat and unique flavors. The hottest peppers in the world are members of this species, with Scoville Heat Unit scores of over 1.5 million. Some taxonomists consider them to be part of the species C. annuum, and they are a member of the C. annuum complex. C. annuum and C. chinense pepper plants can generally be identified by the number of flowers or fruit per node, however—one for C. annuum and two to five for C. chinense, though this method is not always correct. The two species can also hybridize and generate inter-specific hybrids. It is believed that C. frutescens is the ancestor to the C. chinense species. C. chinense and its varieties have been used for millennia in Yucatan and Caribbean-style cooking to add a significant amount of heat to their traditional food. They are mainly used in stews and sauces, as well as marinades for meats and chicken. Western food at times also uses some of these chiles. For example, Habanero (a group of C. chinense varieties) are commonly used in hot sauces and extra-spicy salsas, due to the popularity of Tex-Mex and Mexican cuisines in Western culture.