Research directed by C. Daehler (UH Botany) with funding from the Kaulunani Urban Forestry Program and US Forest Service

Information on Risk Assessments
Original risk assessment

Capsicum frutescens (Cayenne, capsicum, bird pepper)

Answer

1.01

Is the species highly domesticated?

y=-3, n=0

n

1.02

Has the species become naturalized where grown?

y=-1, n=-1

y

1.03

Does the species have weedy races?

y=-1, n=-1

n

2.01

Species suited to tropical or subtropical climate(s) (0-low; 1-intermediate; 2-high) – If island is primarily wet habitat, then substitute “wet tropical” for “tropical or subtropical”

See Append 2

2

2.02

Quality of climate match data (0-low; 1-intermediate; 2-high) see appendix 2

1

2.03

Broad climate suitability (environmental versatility)

y=1, n=0

y

2.04

Native or naturalized in regions with tropical or subtropical climates

y=1, n=0

y

2.05

Does the species have a history of repeated introductions outside its natural range? y=-2

?=-1, n=0

y

3.01

Naturalized beyond native range y = 1*multiplier (see Append 2), n= question 2.05

y

3.02

Garden/amenity/disturbance weed y = 1*multiplier (see Append 2)

n=0

n

3.03

Agricultural/forestry/horticultural weed y = 2*multiplier (see Append 2)

n=0

n

3.04

Environmental weed y = 2*multiplier (see Append 2)

n=0

n

3.05

Congeneric weed y = 1*multiplier (see Append 2)

n=0

n

4.01

Produces spines, thorns or burrs

y=1, n=0

n

4.02

Allelopathic

y=1, n=0

n

4.03

Parasitic

y=1, n=0

n

4.04

Unpalatable to grazing animals

y=1, n=-1

y

4.05

Toxic to animals

y=1, n=0

n

4.06

Host for recognized pests and pathogens

y=1, n=0

y

4.07

Causes allergies or is otherwise toxic to humans

y=1, n=0

n

4.08

Creates a fire hazard in natural ecosystems

y=1, n=0

4.09

Is a shade tolerant plant at some stage of its life cycle

y=1, n=0

n

4.1

Tolerates a wide range of soil conditions (or limestone conditions if not a volcanic island)

y=1, n=0

y

4.11

Climbing or smothering growth habit

y=1, n=0

n

4.12

Forms dense thickets

y=1, n=0

n

5.01

Aquatic

y=5, n=0

n

5.02

Grass

y=1, n=0

n

5.03

Nitrogen fixing woody plant

y=1, n=0

n

5.04

Geophyte (herbaceous with underground storage organs -- bulbs, corms, or tubers)

y=1, n=0

n

6.01

Evidence of substantial reproductive failure in native habitat

y=1, n=0

n

6.02

Produces viable seed.

y=1, n=-1

y

6.03

Hybridizes naturally

y=1, n=-1

y

6.04

Self-compatible or apomictic

y=1, n=-1

y

6.05

Requires specialist pollinators

y=-1, n=0

n

6.06

Reproduction by vegetative fragmentation

y=1, n=-1

n

6.07

Minimum generative time (years) 1 year = 1, 2 or 3 years = 0, 4+ years = -1

See left

1

7.01

Propagules likely to be dispersed unintentionally (plants growing in heavily trafficked areas)

y=1, n=-1

n

7.02

Propagules dispersed intentionally by people

y=1, n=-1

y

7.03

Propagules likely to disperse as a produce contaminant

y=1, n=-1

n

7.04

Propagules adapted to wind dispersal

y=1, n=-1

n

7.05

Propagules water dispersed

y=1, n=-1

n

7.06

Propagules bird dispersed

y=1, n=-1

7.07

Propagules dispersed by other animals (externally)

y=1, n=-1

n

7.08

Propagules survive passage through the gut

y=1, n=-1

8.01

Prolific seed production (>1000/m2)

y=1, n=-1

8.02

Evidence that a persistent propagule bank is formed (>1 yr)

y=1, n=-1

n

8.03

Well controlled by herbicides

y=-1, n=1

8.04

Tolerates, or benefits from, mutilation, cultivation, or fire

y=1, n=-1

8.05

Effective natural enemies present locally (e.g. introduced biocontrol agents)

y=-1, n=1

Total score:

5

Source

Notes

1.01

Some varieties are domesticated.

1.02

(1) Naturalized in Hawaii. (2) 'Throughout the Philippines, planted here and there about dwellings but also thoroughly established in open waste places in the settled areas.' (3) ''…common in moist areas in the Galapagos Islands, mostly along trails and about habitations or their sites...'

(1)Wagner,W. L., D. R. Herbst & S. H. Sohmer. 1990. Manual of flowering plants of Hawaii.University of Hawaii at Press. Honolulu. (2)Merrill, e. D. 1923. An enumeration of Philippine flowering plants. Manila Bureau of printing. (3)Wiggins, I. L. and Porter, D. M. 1971. Flora of the Galapagos Islands. Stanford University Press. Stanford.

1.03

No evidence

2.01

(1)native to South America (2)Probably native of the Tropics, but the original habitat is obscure. China; Dominican Republic; Europe; Gabon; Haiti; Hawaii; India; Iraq; Malagasy; Malaya; Mexico; Mongolia; Panama; Philippines; Samoa; Spain; Tonga; Trinidad; Turkey; USA

(1)http://www.nybg.org/plants/plants/pepper.html (2)http://www.geocities.com/nutriflip/Naturopathy/Capsicum.html

2.02

2.03

Altitude range 0 - 2000 m. Tropical wet & dry, tropical wet, steppe or semiarid, subtropical humid, subtropical dry summer, subtropical dry winter.

http://pppis.fao.org/

2.04

Probably native of the Tropics, but the original habitat is obscure. China; Dominican Republic; Europe; Gabon; Haiti; Hawaii; India; Iraq; Malagasy; Malaya; Mexico; Mongolia; Panama; Philippines; Samoa; Spain; Tonga; Trinidad; Turkey; USA

http://www.geocities.com/nutriflip/Naturopathy/Capsicum.html

2.05

Probably native of the Tropics, but the original habitat is obscure. China; Dominican Republic; Europe; Gabon; Haiti; Hawaii; India; Iraq; Malagasy; Malaya; Mexico; Mongolia; Panama; Philippines; Samoa; Spain; Tonga; Trinidad; Turkey; USA

http://www.geocities.com/nutriflip/Naturopathy/Capsicum.html

3.01

(1) Naturalized in Hawaii. (2) 'Throughout the Philippines, planted here and there about dwellings but also thoroughly established in open waste places in the settled areas.' (3) ''…common in moist areas in the Galapagos Islands, mostly along trails and ��편 or their sites...'

(1)Wagner,W. L., D. R. Herbst & S. H. Sohmer. 1990. Manual of flowering plants of Hawaii.University of Hawaii at Press. Honolulu. (2)Merrill, e. D. 1923. An enumeration of Philippine flowering plants. Manila Bureau of printing. (3)Wiggins, I. L. and Porter, D. M. 1971. Flora of the Galapagos Islands. Stanford University Press. Stanford.

3.02

No evidence

3.03

listed as "present" in several countries but does not have economic importance

Holme et al. Geographic Atlas of World Weeds

3.04

No evidence

3.05

Capsicum annuum ias listed as "present" in Australia, India but does not have economic importance

Holme et al. Geographic Atlas of World Weeds

4.01

No evidence

Horticopia Plant master 5.5 CD-ROM database.

4.02

No evidence

4.03

No evidence

4.04

Rarely browsed by deer (capsicum is thought to be a deterent to mammal feeding)

http://agweb.okstate.edu/pearl/hort/ornamental/f-6427.pdf

4.05

No evidence

4.06

(1)This site lists a 100 species of fungus to be associated with C. frutescens. (2)susceptible to al least 33 virsuses, a number of which infect crops (3)host for pepper fruitfly, Atherigona orientalis Schiner

(1)http://nt.ars-grin.gov/fungaldatabases/all/FindRecOneFungusFrame.cfm (2)http://image.fs.uidaho.edu/vide/famly124.htm#Capsicum frutescens (3)Ogbalu, O. K.1997. Pupation sites of the pepper fruitfly, Atherigona orientalis Schiner (Diptera: Muscidae). Nigerian Journal of Entomology, , Vol.14/15:107-121.

4.07

'Although no reports have been seen for this species, many plants in this family produce toxins in their leaves. The sap of the plant can cause the skin to blister'. No evidence of case reports.

http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Capsicum+frutescens

4.08

No information on fire ecology, possible if dense growth in arid habitats

4.09

Full sun

Horticopia Plant master 5.5 CD-ROM database.

4.1

(1)pH range, 5.5 to 8.3 (2)The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils and can grow in very acid and very alkaline soils.

(1)http://pppis.fao.org/ (2)http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Capsicum+frutescens

4.11

No evidence - it is not a vine but a herb.

4.12

No evidence.

5.01

It is herbaceous plant.

5.02

5.03

5.04

6.01

No evidence

6.02

They are easily grown from seed

http://www.nybg.org/plants/plants/pepper.html

6.03

[likely in nature because grown sympatrically ] (1) 'Morphological and cytogenetical studies were carried out on the F1 and F2 hybrids and backcross derivatives of the interspecific cross Capsicum baccatum L. .times. C. frutescens ...The two species are sympatric and natural hybrids have not been realized.' (2)C. annuum cultivars Jwala and K2 were reciprocally crossed with the C. frutescens cultivars White Kanthari, Green Chuna and Ornamental Type; the cultivars were also selfed. In addition to normal pollination, pollination was performed by applying pollen from both parents in a cross, mixed in equal proportions, to the stigma of the female parent. Analysis of data on fruit set, seeds/fruit, germination, seedling survival and a crossability index revealed that (1) no barrier existed in crosses between the 2species, except in 2 combinations in which White Kanthari was female parent, (2) pollination wit mixed pollen was the best means of effecting crossing, and (3) crossability was species and genotype depen

(1)RAO-N-B {a}; VALLI-T-S; LAKSHMI-N. 1992. CYTOGENETICS STUDIES ON THE INTERSPECIFIC HYBRID CAPSICUM-BACCATUM L. TIMES CAPSICUM-FRUTESCENS L. AND ITS PROGENY. Euphytica 1992. 59 (2-3): 135-140. (2) Krishnakumari, K.; Peter, K. V. 1986. Compatibility among varieties of Capsicum annuum L. and Capsicum frutescens L. Indian Journal of Genetics & Plant Breeding, 46:521-525.

6.04

It is self compatible.

Wagner,W. L., D. R. Herbst & S. H. Sohmer. 1990. Manual of flowering plants of Hawaii.University of Hawaii at Press. Honolulu.

6.05

A paper on C. frutescens is in Tropical agricultural research (1975) is not available at UH not is it available online

6.06

They are easily grown from seed between January and early March. No evidence that the species can be propagated vegetatively.

http://www.nybg.org/plants/plants/pepper.html

6.07

(1) 'Capsicum frutescens L. is a short-lived perennial with woody stems that reach a height of two meters…' (2) '...act as annuals indoors, it is not recommended to make them last for more than one season.'

(1)http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/med-aro/factsheets/CAPSICUM_PEPPER.html (2)http://www.nybg.org/plants/plants/pepper.html

7.01

Propagule do not have any means of attachment.

Wagner,W. L., D. R. Herbst & S. H. Sohmer. 1990. Manual of flowering plants of Hawaii.University of Hawaii at Press. Honolulu.

7.02

'The Ornamental pepper (Capsicum frutescens) native to South America, is prized for its spectacular red fruit, which can be eaten if the plant has been organically grown. The peppers start out green, turn white, purple, red and orange. Often all these colors may be present on the plant simultaneously.'

http://www.nybg.org/plants/plants/pepper.html

7.03

Seeds relatively large - 'Seeds yellowish, flattened - lenticular, 3-4 mm long.'

Wagner,W. L., D. R. Herbst & S. H. Sohmer. 1990. Manual of flowering plants of Hawaii.University of Hawaii at Press. Honolulu.

7.04

seed do not have any adaptations for wind dispersal.

Wagner,W. L., D. R. Herbst & S. H. Sohmer. 1990. Manual of flowering plants of Hawaii.University of Hawaii at Press. Honolulu.

7.05

the habitat of the species is not described to be near rivers of the ocean.

Wagner,W. L., D. R. Herbst & S. H. Sohmer. 1990. Manual of flowering plants of Hawaii.University of Hawaii at Press. Honolulu.

7.06

Possibly yes in native habitat as the fruit is a brightly colored berry. [Also one of the common names of this species is bird pepper which may suggest the attraction of birds to the fruits] BUT no reports of damage or yield loss due to birds anywhere in the world (in contrast, dozens of reports on yield loss to insects and fungi)

7.07

No means of attachment

7.08

No information regarding dispersal.

8.01

Possibly under cultvated conditions, but unlikely under natural conditions. Fruit is a berry, 10-20 mm long, 3-7mm in diameter. Seeds yellowish, flattened - lenticular, 3-4 mm long. (1 dozen+ seeds per fruit) (2) some ornamental varieties produce more than 100 fruits per plant.

Wagner,W. L., D. R. Herbst & S. H. Sohmer. 1990. Manual of flowering plants of Hawaii.University of Hawaii at Press. Honolulu. (2)http://zzyx.ucsc.edu/casfs/gardenideas/peppers.html

8.02

(1) "Tabasco pepper (Capsicum frutescens) seeds were stored in jars over six saturated salt solutions to maintain constant relative humidities and seed moisture levels during storage at 2.degree. C for 12 months. Seeds were removed from storage every month to monitor viability and germination. High seed storage moisture resulted in a significant reduction of seed viability and germination. " (2)Pepper seeds are viable for one to two years (lab conditions)

(1)SUNDSTROM-F-J. 1990. SEED MOISTURE INFLUENCES ON TABASCO PEPPER SEED VIABILITY VIGOR AND DORMANCY DURING STORAGE.Seed-Science-and-Technology.18 : 179-186 (2)http://zzyx.ucsc.edu/casfs/gardenideas/peppers.html

8.03

No evidence that the species is being controlled for.

8.04

No information.

8.05

Don’t know.