Hi Dave!
What can you tell about the chile variety ’Cumari o Passarinho’? In your book, "Peppers of the’ World" it’s said to be a chinense, but the USDA lists it as C. baccatum var. Praetermissum. I have the plant growing, and that one is definately C. chinense. So might there be two different kinds of Cumari o Passarinhos? Do you know what the name could mean? Second, I got some ’Lemon Drop’ seeds from the USDA which are said to be a C. chinense. This must be a totally different compared to my ’Lemon Drop which is C. baccatum. Ever heard C. chinense ’Lemon Drop’? Thanks again!!
-Jukka Kilpinen, Finland
Jukka:
I am not a linguist, but the name "Cumari o passarinho" roughly translates as "the little bird of Cumari." Cumari is a city in Brazil. It is definitely a chinense. "Praetermissum" means "passed over" in Latin, and it’s the species name of a wild variety, but could be used with a genus name to mean a neglected variety. Most authorities list ’Lemon Drop’ as a baccatum, but there is a annuum called ’Lemon Drop’. I’ve never heard of a chinense with that name.
Best,
Dave