Capsicum belongs to the plant kingdom, under the magnoliopsid class and asterida subdivision, in the nightshade family.The fruit is a berry.It has many alternative names: large pepper, lantern pepper, or pepper squash; it is also called sweet pepper or vegetable pepper due to its ability to produce sweet berries.It is either an annual or perennial herb with large fruits and mild or non-pungent flavor, used as a vegetable rather than for seasoning.Due to its vibrant green color, newly cultivated varieties come in red, yellow, purple, and other colors, making it suitable not only as a standalone dish but also as a garnish.Cultivated from the original tropical American chili pepper, it evolved through long-term cultivation and artificial selection, resulting in larger fruit size, thicker flesh, loss of pungency, and an increase in the number of carpels and locular cavities.Introduced to China over 100 years ago, it is now widely cultivated across the country.
