CapsicumCapsicum (ˈkæpsᵻkəm) is a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family Solanaceae, native to the Americas, cultivated worldwide for their chili pepper or bell pepper fruit. The generic name may come from Latin capsa, meaning 'box', presumably alluding to the pods; or possibly from the Greek word κάπτω kapto, 'to gulp'. The name "pepper" comes from the similarity of piquance (spiciness or "heat") of the flavor to that of black pepper, Piper nigrum, although there is no botanical relationship with it or with Sichuan pepper.
