RE: [CH] mystery Bolivian seeds update
Cameron Begg (begg.4@osu.edu)
Tue, 30 Jun 1998 08:28:23 -0500
Hi C-H's,
Bill (Gilbert?) wrote:
................Bolivian trip pictures shows
a split open pepper with LARGE black seeds , shaped like a Guero ( can't
make the two dots ) or a Poblano and comes ripe in red and yellow , have
sprouted some ( viable seeds , praise be unto !!!! ) and could spare
another dozen or so............................
Black seeds are characteristic of C. pubescens. Pubescent means "hairy" as
this species is covered on all it's above ground green parts by tiny hairs.
When your seedlings produce their first set of true leaves (i.e. the second
set of leaves to form) examine them with a magnifying glass and report
back. The shape you describe is confusing, as true C. pubescens have round,
often like small apple shaped fruit. The closest relatives to C. pubescens
are the species cardenasii and eximium. Both are pretty rare and in my
experience produce small (~0.25") fruit.
(I'll contact you off this list for seeds to see if I can help you identify
this plant.)
................... these plants are native to 10,000 foot altitude , any
other high altitude growers out there ?? . BILL --- COLORADO'S highest
CHILE grower .............................
No Bill, but in February I was up at 19,000' in the Andes near the
Chilean/Bolivian border in the tropical dry desert. We were looking at a
sulfur (sulphur) mine. How anybody can work long hours at that altitude
with a pick and shovel breathing oxygen deficient air mixed with SO2 and
H2S is quite beyond me. I was exhausted simply from the effort of trying to
breathe! Those tireless hardy people are welcome to their cola leaves.
Regards, Cameron.