Eli5: why do chilli plants turn red to attract animals to disperse seeds but also produce the spicy chemical to put them off?
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Many of the fruits that we find toxic or unpalatable are fine for birds. Mammals have the tendency to chew up seeds and obv plants dont want that. They want their seeds spread around so they can make more little plants.
Since birds tend to swallow fruit whole, many plants have adapted to deter mammals from eating their fruit. Chilis are one example. Birds arent affected by the capsaicin.
Nightshade is actually another example. Its potentially lethal to us but the birds can eat it just fine.
Everyone in this thread saying capsicum is for dispelling mammals and attracting birds is slightly off. This is said to be a byproduct of the plants evolution to protect itself.
Capsicum stops mould and decay of the fruit. The fact birds cant taste capsicum helped spread the genetics.
If there was ever a form of capsicum that birds could taste, it’s genetics would be spread as far. The plant didn’t evolve to attract anything, it evolved to protect itself.
Because not all animals taste the spicy chemicals, just the mammals. Birds don’t taste it, and they don’t have teeth like mammals do, so seeds don’t get chewed up.
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