Unknown Peruvian jungle pepper found in the amazon - Aji Maqusari

[jonnyb]

I've just been to a town in the Peruvian amazon jungle and found a curious looking yellow hot pepper that I had never seen before. They are yellow wrinkled unpredictable shaped about 1/2" to 3/4" long and about 1/3" -1/2" wide. I found in the Belén market, where the lady wrote down the name as Aji Maqusari. A google search yielded 0 results. Anyone heard of this before? I bought a pack of them and have extracted seeds from them

They are similar tasting to the Aji Charapitas they have there, a wild jungle chilli, maybe a little more fruity but distinctly different in appearance. So maybe another frutescens?

Will post some pictures when I get onto a proper computer (at the airport in lima on my mobile)

 

[jonnyb]

Heres the one that looks successful:

 

[ximjym]

I'm really excited to see how the fruit turn out. Hopefully it was not crossed with something else.

 

[SpeakPolish]

Hopefully it is. I bet a cross would be amazing

 

[jonnyb]

Little further on and chillies have set. I got bored hand pollinating so I have been moving it outside to let the bees and hover flies do it for me and then back in when its too hot and it starts wilting, but I did wait till at least 12 of the pods set before moving so I am sure the first few pods will be truly isolated.
It looks true to type. Elongated shape about 1 long, 1/2 wide. Appear to have 3 lobes but a little bumpy so some just look elongated and bumpy.

I also have the two other Maqusaris outside. One was planted as a seed outside and the other was in the aeroponics till it ran dry and lost most of its leaves so I saved it by putting it into the soil.

And the one kept outside in soil all along:

This way I can check if there are any differences in the look or taste of the pods when they are ready. I dont know if the hydro pods will taste any worse than in the soil, so well see. I wouldnt want to shame the variety of its down to growing conditions, so it will be worth comparing. The second one has a few flowers just set, and the little one has flower buds soon to open.

Cant wait to try them.

(not sure why the pics got rotated, sorry bout that)

 

[swellcat]

How are/were they?