atoll research bulletin no. 392 the flora of - Smithsonian Institution ...

Capsicum annuum L. var. grossum (L.) Sendtn. "bell pepper", "sweet pepper",
"sweet capsicum", "paprika", "pimento" PePa (TI
syn. C. grossum L.; C. duke Hort. ex Dun.
Recent introduction. Trop. America. Rare. Similar to C. annuum L. var. annuum,
but bearing a larger, oblong to linear, almost quadrangular, or sometimes broadly
ellipsoid-acuminate fruit, 6 to 14 cm long and 5 to 10 cm across, green to bright red or
occasionally yellow, partially hollow, usually sweet and non-pungent. Food plant in
Topside workshop gardens. Fruit eaten raw in salads and cooked as a green vegetable. 5,
6.
Capsicum frutescens L. " tabasco", "bird chilli", "perennial chilli"
epeba (N); te beneka (K); tili, polo feuu (T)
C. minimum Roxb.
Pre-World War I1 introduction. Trop. America. Rare. Coarse, perennial,
suffrutescent, much-branched subshrub, 0.6 to 2 m high, leaves, 2 to 9 cm long and 1 to
4 cm wide, alternate, ovate-elliptical to ovate-lanceolate, acute-acuminate, base acute or
obtuse, entire or slightly undulate, glabrous or slightly pubescent; petioles 1 to 3 cm
long; inflorescences, terminal and axillary, commonly paired, sometimes more, long-
pedicellate; pedicels, 1 to 2.5 cm long, 2 (rarely 3) per node after first flowering; calyx,
2.5 to 3 mm long, tubular, shortly 5-dentate, persistent, usually enlarging to enclose the
base of the fruit; corolla, 1 to 1.5 cm in diameter, deeply 5-lobed, white to greenish-
white or purplish-white; stamens 5, anthers purple; fruit, 1 to 1.5 cm long and about 5
mm across, ellipsoid-lanceolate, ellipsoid-ovoid or subconic, an erect, many-seeded
berry, with a leathery skin, green or greenish-yellow turning bright red when ripe,
indehiscent, hot-spicy, pungent; seeds, 2 to 3 mm long, suborbicular, compressed, pale
yellow. Planted or protected in Tuvaluan garden at Location and in Topside Workshop
gardens. Reportedly much more common in the past. Fruit used to spice foods. 6.
Cestrum nocturnum L. "night cestrum" , "night flowering cestrum" , "night-flowering
or night-blooming jasmine", "lady of the night" fafine o te po (T)
Recent introduction. W. Indies. Rare. Erect, glabrous shrub, 2 to 5 m high;
leaves, 7 to 20 cm long, spiralled, ovate-oblong to lanceolate-elliptic, petiolate; inflores-
cences, cymose racemes longer than petioles; calyx, about one-third as long as the
corolla, 5-toothed, green, persistent; corolla, 1.5 to 2.5 cm long, tubular, 5-lobed,
narrowed at throat, widened at apex, with a small spreading limb, lobes, 5 to 6 mm long,
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extremely fragrant, mostly at night; stamens 5, included, puberulent at base; fruit, 6 to
10 mm long, a subglobose berry, white, 1- to 3-seeded. Planted ornamental. 5(15), 6.