Cap sp.

[Devabriel 95]

I (think) know that cap sp. Means more or less capsicum species unknown but what does it really mean. I figure s stands for species but the p I cant figure out..and I admit I can be so wrong to about it all😉.

[Lonewolf 18,106]

"sp." is a short form for "species" (Latin word).

To refer to many unknown (or generic) species the form "spp." is used.

 

These names are used when the species is not known or when it is still without a name.

In the second case sometimes Capsicum sp is followed by a number or by the collection number or by "nov." (short form for the Latin word nova=new).

 

For example, this is known as Capsicum sp. 9 and for sure will become a new species, sooner or later:

https://www.pepperfriends.org/dbpf/capsicum-aff-mirabile_001.asp

 

This other is known as Capsicum sp. nov. (GEB & CCG 3637):
https://www.pepperfriends.org/dbpf/capsicum-sp-nov-geb-ccg-3637_001.asp

GEB & CCG are the initials of the names of the collectors and 3637 is the number they assigned to the accession, probably a sequential number.

Actually GEB was not there that day, but I was there!

This too will probably become a new species, even if in my opinion it's a local variation of C.schottianum.

 

[Devabriel 95]

So cap sp= capsicum species? And more or less capsicum unknown or still debatable or just not given an official name as of jet?

[Lonewolf 18,106]

1 hour ago, Devabriel said:

So cap sp= capsicum species? And more or less capsicum unknown or still debatable or just not given an official name as of jet?

 

Capsicum sp.  = Capsicum species (one species)

C.sp. = Capsicum species (when it's clear that we are speaking of Capsicum).

Capsicum spp.  = Capsicum species (many species)

 

Cap is not a common short form for Capsicum; it also can make confusion because CAP is used in the name of varieties from the IPK GeneBank (for example CAP 1546).

 

The form Capsicum sp. or Capsicum spp. can be used:

- when we wish to refer to all species of Capsicum; for example "Pungency is present in almost all Capsicum spp." or "Puncency is a feature of any Capsicum sp."

- when we don't know the species; for example "I found a plant of Capsicum sp." (I don't know the species).

- when we know that the species has no name yet; for example "When I visited Caraca I found plants of Capsicum sp." (I know that the species has no name, but I know that those plants don't belongs to any named species).

 

In the case of your label, the meaning is probably that who prepared the packet did not know the exact species. 

 

[Devabriel 95]

Thanks this made it much more easy to understand.