Capsicum annuum

A very variable, normally annual herb or subshrub, 0.5-1.5 m tall, erect, much branched, grown as an annual. Taproot strong, lateral roots numerous. Stem irregularly angular to subterete, up to 1 cm in diameter, much branched, often tomentose near branchings, green to brown-green, often with purplish spots near nodes. Leaves alternate, simple, very variable, petiole up to 10 cm long, leaf-blade ovate, up to 10(-16) cm x 5(-8) cm, acuminate at apex, margin usually entire, subglabrous, light to dark green. Flowers usually borne singly, terminal, pedicel up to 3 cm long in flower, up to 8 cm long in fruit, calyx cup-shaped, persistent and enlarging in fruit, usually with 5 conspicuous teeth, corolla campanulate to rotate with five to seven lobes, 8-15 mm in diameter, usually white, five to seven stamens with pale blue to purplish anthers, ovary 2(-4)-locular, style filiform, white or purplish, stigma capitate. Fruit a non-pulpy berry, very variable in size, shape, colour and degree of pungency, usually more or less conical, up to 30 cm long, green, yellow, cream or purplish when immature, red, orange, yellow, brown when mature. Seed orbicular, flattened, 3-4.5 mm in diameter, approximately 1 mm thick, pale yellow.