Why do hot pepper plants exist? Wouldn’t it have been an evolutionary disadvantage to have fruits that were painful for animals to eat?

1.09K viewsBiologyOther

Why do hot pepper plants exist? Wouldn’t it have been an evolutionary disadvantage to have fruits that were painful for animals to eat?

In: Biology

17 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

Capsaicin, the stuff that makes peppers hot, is an irritant to mammals but not avians (birds). Birds can eat the fruit and poop out the seeds, spreading them far and wide.

You are viewing 1 out of 17 answers, click here to view all answers.