Phylogeny of chili peppers and wild relatives

Sweet and hot chili peppers and their wild relatives (Capsicum spp., Solanaceae) are native to the tropical and temperate Americas. Despite their worldwide importance, Capsicum taxonomy and phylogeny have been only partially analysed to date.

Carrizo García et al. explore the phylogenetic relationships between nearly all Capsicum species and analyse the evolution of key characters and the geographic diversification of the genus. The most comprehensive scheme of Capsicum interspecific relationships is presented, giving new insights about species affinities and the geographic origin of the genus.