Other conspecific taxa:

• Capsicum baccatum (132 accessions)
• Capsicum baccatum var. pendulum (112 accessions)
• Capsicum baccatum var. praetermissum (0 accessions)
• Capsicum baccatum var. umbilicatum (0 accessions)

Synonyms:

• (≡) Capsicum frutescens var. baccatum (L.) Irish
• (=) Capsicum microcarpum Cav.
• (=) Capsicum microcarpum var. glabrescens Hassl.
• (=) Capsicum microcarpum var. tomentosum Chodat & Hassl.

Common names:

• locoto  (Source: pers. comm.) - Spanish (Bolivia, Peru)

Economic Importance:

• Food additives: flavoring (fide PLoS One 10(9): e0134663-18.)
• Gene sources: primary genetic relative of aji (fide Phytologia 47:156. 1980)
• Gene sources: progenitor of aji (fide Phytologia 47:156. 1980)
• Gene sources: secondary genetic relative of bell/chili pepper (fide Crop Breed Appl Biot 11:246. 2011)
• Gene sources: secondary genetic relative of habanero pepper (based on records of fertile hybrids derived from crosses with Capsicum frutescens, a closely related species fide Int J Pl Sci 162:1411. 2001)
• Gene sources: secondary genetic relative of Tabasco pepper (based on records of fertile hybrids derived from crosses with Capsicum frutescens fide Int J Pl Sci 162:1411. 2001)
• Gene sources: tertiary genetic relative of rocoto (based on records of sterile hybrids derived from crosses with members of the Capsicum pubescens group fide Int J Pl Sci 162:1411. 2001)

Distributional Range:

Native

Southern America

• BRAZIL: Brazil [Espirito Santo, Mato Grosso, Minas Gerais, Parana, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina]
• WESTERN SOUTH AMERICA: Bolivia, [Beni, La Paz, Santa Cruz, Tarija] Colombia, [Guajira] Peru [Loreto]
• SOUTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: Argentina, [Chaco, Corrientes, Formosa, Jujuy, Misiones, Salta, Tucuman] Paraguay, [Amambay, Central, Concepcion, Cordillera, Guaira, Alto Paraguay, Paraguari, San Pedro, Chaco] Uruguay [Rivera]

References:

1. Eshbaugh, W. H. 1980. The taxonomy of the genus Capsicum (Solanaceae) - 1980 (Phytologia) 47:156.
2. Instituto de Botánica Darwinion Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares. (F ConoSur)
3. Jørgensen, P. M., ed. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de Bolivia (Catalogue of vascular plants of Bolivia) (on-line resource). (L Bolivia Online)
4. León, B. 1995. pers. comm. (pers. comm.)
5. Monteiro da Silva, C. E. et al. 2011. Reproductive characterization of interspecific hybrids among Capsicum species Crop Breed. Appl. Biotechnol. 11:241-249.
6. van Zonneveld, M. et al. 2015. Screening genetic resources of Capsicum peppers in their primary center of diversity in Bolivia and Peru (PloS One) 10(9): e0134663.
7. Walsh, B. M. & S. B. Hoot 2001. Phylogenetic relationships of Capsicum (Solanaceae) using DNA sequences from two noncoding regions: The chloroplast atpB-rbcL spacer region and nuclear waxy introns Int. J. Pl. Sci. 162:1409-1418.

Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN-Taxonomy).
National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. URL: http://germoplasma.iniaf.gob.bo/gringlobal/taxonomydetail.aspx?id=300104. Accessed 7 junio 2026.