The chileman database contains almost 3,500 chile varieties, so why does your local garden centre only stock about ten varieties? Even the best online catalogues struggle to get a few hundred varieties of seeds available for purchase. Well perhaps unsuprisingly and sadly there are a lot of chile varieties that are rare or even endangered. Take a look below for a list of endangered and apparently extinct peppers.
      

CAPSICUM CARDENASII

    Species: Cardenasii
    Origin: Bolivia
    Heat: Very Hot

© Tommi Hietavuo | © Harry Nyström
A wild purple flowering species from Bolivia is thought to be the original progenitor of all Capsicums. Its common name in Ulupica. The pods are very small (1/2in x 1/8in) and egg shaped and ripen from green to red. Like the Rocoto, Capsicum Cardenasii has purple flowers.


CAPSICUM CILIATUM (GRIF 16136)

    Species: Ciliatum
    Origin: Mexico
    Heat: Unknown

© Mats & Patricia Pettersson | © Jukka Kilpinen
A very unusual and scarce wild Capsicum species initially believed to be a sister to Capsicum Tovarii although after further study by Eshbaugh in 1988, it has since been omitted from Capsicum species list. Native to Southern Mexico & South America, this species has pubescent stems and leaves and yellow flowers. The tiny red fruits have no heat. Now a synonym for Witheringia ciliata although more recently it has been reclassified (yet again) as Capsicum rhomboideum.


CAPSICUM FLEXUOSUM

    Species: Flexuosum
    Origin: Paraguay, Argentina
    Heat: Unknown

© Mats & Patricia Pettersson | © Mats & Patricia Pettersson
This wild Capsicum variety has been subject to much debate and has been reclassified as a variety of Capsicum Schottianum byA.T. Hunziker. The seeds for this variety are believed to be black unlike C. Baccatum var. Flexuosum which are straw coloured.


CAPSICUM GALAPAGOENSE (GRIF 1567)

    Species: Galapagoense
    Origin: Galapagos Islands
    Heat: Very Hot

© Jukka Kilpinen | © Jukka Kilpinen
This white flowering wild species is one of the worlds rarest chiles. It is found only on the small Galapagos Islands of Isabela and Santa Cruz. The pods of this plant are very hot and grow to 0.25 inches long, maturing from dark green to red.


CAPSICUM PRAETERMISSUM (PI 441654)

    Species: Praetermissum
    Origin: Brazil
    Heat: Very Hot

© Jukka Kilpinen | © Mark McMullan
A rare wild variety orginating from the jungles of Brazil. This plant can grow up to six feet tall in a single growing season and has thousands of cranberry sized fruit that ripen to red. The plant produces stunning flowers that are totally flat when fully opened, are purple edged with a white inner band and have a greenish yellow centre. Also known as Capsicum baccatum var. praetermissum and has been designated as a separate Capsicum species since 1983.


CAPSICUM TOVARII

    Species: Tovarii
    Origin: Peru
    Heat: Unknown

© Jukka Kilpinen | © Jukka Kilpinen
This very rare white flowering Capsicum species is native to the Rio Mantaro basin in south-central Peru. Genetically it is part of taxa including Capsicum pubescens and is known as ' Mukuru' in Peru. Note the multiple flowers per node.


CAPSICUM PARVIFOLIUM

    Species: Parvifolium
    Origin: Brazil, Bolivia and Venezuela
    Heat: Unknown

A wild capsicum species native to north-east Brazil, Bolivia and Venezuela. In Bolivia it is commonly known as ' Piment de passarinho' which simply means pepper of passarinho


CAPSICUM SCHOATTIANUM

    Species: Schottianum
    Origin: Argentina, Brazil & Paraguay
    Heat: Unknown

© Jukka Kilpinen | © Karen Williams
A wild chile species native to Argentina, south Brazil and south-east Paraguay. These 80-100 cm tall erect plants have many branches which grown in a zig zag pattern. The flowers are white with yellow-green spots at the base of the petals. The tiny pods are pendulous and reddish-orange at maturity.


CAP 1479

    Species: Pubescens
    Origin: Unknown
    Heat: Unknown

© Allen M Boatman | © Allen M Boatman
Description currently unavailable. Note: The CAP classification system for chile varieties indicates an accession from the genebank at a research institution in Germany.


CAP 1530

    Species: Cardenasii
    Origin: Bolivia
    Heat: Very Hot

© Jukka Kilpinen
Mature pods shown here. Description currently unavailable. Note: The CAP classification system for chile varieties indicates an accession from the genebank at a research institution in Germany.


CAP 500

    Species: Eximium
    Origin: Unknown
    Heat: Unknown

© Mats & Patricia Pettersson | © Mats & Patricia Pettersson
Description currently unavailable.


CAP 501

    Species: Chacoense
    Origin: Unknown
    Heat: Unknown

© Mark McMullan | © Virtual Pepper
A very rare small white flowering wild species native to Argentina, Bolivia and Paraguay. It is known locally as 'Tova' or 'Covincho' in Paraguay. The Plant has an erect growing habit and is approximately 80 cm tall. The erect pods are elongated, triangular, 2.5 cm long, 0.5 cm wide and mature from green to red.


COBINCHO

    Species: Exile
    Origin: Bolivia
    Heat: Hot

© Mark McMullan | © Julian Livsey
A rare variety from the species Capsicum Exile. A mature pod is shown here. Seeds are difficult to germinate but once growing the plant sprawls, is very thin and has very small, delicate white flowers.


GRIF 15020

    Species: Flexuosum
    Origin: Paraguay
    Heat: Unknown

© Dr R Jarret USDA ARS | © Dr R Jarret USDA ARS
This wild Capsicum variety has been subject to much debate and has been reclassified as a variety of Capsicum Schottianum byA.T. Hunziker.


GRIF 9347

    Species: Pubescens
    Origin: Costa Rica
    Heat: Unknown

© John Taylor | © John Taylor
Description currently unavailable.


PERU SCARLET LANTERN (PI 315028)

    Species: Chinense
    Origin: Peru
    Heat: Unknown

© Mats & Patricia Pettersson | © Jukka Kilpinen
Description currently unavailable.


PI 441596

    Species: Baccatum
    Origin: Brazil
    Heat: Hot

© Virtual Pepper | © Virtual Pepper
Also know as BGH 4321. This variety has been developed in Minas Gerais, Brazil. The plant is quite big with long and thin branches. It often has a somewhat sprawling habit. The pods mature from green to red. Note: The BGH classification system for chile varieties indicates an accession from the genebank at Banco de Germoplasma de Hortaliças, Brazil


PI 585261

    Species: Pubescens
    Origin: Ecuador
    Heat: Unknown

© Allen M Boatman | © Allen M Boatman
Description currently unavailable.


PI 585269

    Species: Pubescens
    Origin: Ecuador
    Heat: Unknown

© Dr R Jarret USDA ARS | © Dr R Jarret USDA ARS
Description currently unavailable.


PI 593616

    Species: Pubescens
    Origin: Guatemala
    Heat: Hot

© John Taylor | © Jakob Alexsson
Description currently unavailable.


PI 614001

    Species: Pubescens
    Origin: Bolivia
    Heat: Unknown

© Jukka Kilpinen | © Jukka Kilpinen
Immature pods shown here. Description currently unavailable.


ULUPICA (PI 573336)

    Species: Cardenasii
    Origin: Bolivia
    Heat: Very Hot

© Jukka Kilpinen
Ulupica is the local name for wild species Eximium and Cardensaii and is found in Bolivia and Peru. It is thought to be the origin progenitor of all Capsicums. The Ulupica is closely related to the Rocoto but grows to only 1/2 its size. The pods are very small (1/2in x 1/8in) and egg shaped and ripen from green to red. Obtaining fruit sets is difficult as the pods do not readily self pollinate. Like the Rocoto, the Ulupica has purple flowers.