Jim wrote:
>> zxcvbob wrote:
>
>> BTW, one of his mild C. chinenese peppers crossed with a jalapeņo,
>> and a resulting volunteer seedling has fruit that look just like a
>> jalapeņo, but the plant has the form of a habanero (large leaves,
>> fruit borne in clusters) and the peppers are extraordinarily hot --
>> perhaps hotter than a real habanero, with thick walls and very few
>> seeds.
>>
>> -Bob
>>
>
> Hmm.. It has always been my understanding that a habanero, or variant
> thereof, can not cross pollinate with a jalapeno. Same genus (
> capsicum ) but different species ( chinense vs.anuum ). I've always
> been led to understand that genetic differences are too great to
> allow cross pollination. I've grown habaneros and variants for years,
> and have not noticed a tendency of chinense chiles to be "borne in
> clusters". This seems to be a trait in some cultivars of capsicum
> anuum, however. Not looking to argue with you Bob, just adding my 2
> cents.
>
> Jim
I dunno about the borne in clusters thing, that was my mom's
description. My brother is the horticulture major, and he thinks the
plants look like chinense peppers. He didn't describe the blossoms, I
should get him to take some close-up pictures off the flowers.
I have read elsewhere that C. chinense and C. anuum can cross, which
kind of means to me that they are not *really* different species.
However a horse and a donkey can cross to yield a mule (which is
sterile). My brother discribed the pepper fruits having very few seeds
-- like they didn't pollenate very well. I'll bet the seeds are
sterile. He took some cuttings from the plant to try to keep them alive
for next year. (His pepper plants always grow way too large to dig up
for the winter.)
Bob
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