Question

Botanical name of Red Chili is
A. Capsicum frutescens
B. Capsicum annuum
C. Physalis
D. Withania

Answer 1

Hint:- The genus Capsicum includes the bell peppers and hot peppers. They include many species and are grown and used worldwide. The uses of Capsicum species are most common in cooking and in traditional medicine.

Complete step-by-step solution:-
Capsicum species belong to the Solanaceae family. They are flowering plants and native to America. They are at present cultivated worldwide. The Capsicum species bear fruits that are known by different names in different parts of the world. There are around 20 to 27 species of this genus known and a few have been domesticated for agricultural use.
Capsicum annuum is the most common species of the genus. They are found in various shapes and sizes and are commonly known as Red Chili. It is of great importance in adding flavors to food. This particular species tastes hot. This distinct taste of red chili is because of the presence of Capsinoid in them.
Capsicum frutescens are perennial plants. They are genetically related to Capsicum annuum and are commonly known as chili in India. They can be green, yellow or red in colour. The pigment Capsinoid is not present in Capsicum frutescens.
Physalis belongs to the family Solanaceae. They are commonly known as ground cherries or husk tomatoes. Physalis are herbaceous plants that grow in almost all types of soil. Physalis is cultivated for food, traditional medicine and as ornamental plants in many parts of the world.
Withania belongs to the family Solanaceae. The most widely known species of this genus is Withania somnifera or Ashwagandha in common terms. They are small flowering plants. Ashwagandha is an important component of Ayurveda medicines. It functions to reduce inflammatory responses and have effects on the central nervous system, immune system and endocrine system.
Hence, we can conclude that Capsicum annuum is known as Red Chili, and therefore, option (b) is correct.

Note:-
Red chilies are hot peppers, native to America. At present they are domestically grown in many parts of the world including India. Red chilies are genetically related to the Bell peppers or Capsicum (as it is called India). Red chilies have culinary and medicinal uses.