The genus Tubocapsicum (Solanaceae)

Tubocapsicum (Solanaceae: Solanoideae), a genus of two Asian species, was formerly included in Capsicum. Tubocapsicum anomalum is a herb with small yellow flowers and red berries that is found in Japan, southern China, Taiwan, and the Philippines; T. obtusum is found in Japan. A general taxonomic description is complemented by new detailed descriptions and illustrations of growth morphology, vegetative histology and stomata, floral structure, vasculature, fruit structure, seeds, and pollen. On the basis of this analysis as well as cpDNA investigations by of Olmstead et al. (1999), the genus Tubocapsicum appears to be most closely related to subfamily Solanoideae genera Aureliana and Withania.