Monika Egerer
The donne’ sali chilli is the hottest pepper in the West Pacific’s Mariana Islands. It features prominently in the local cuisine and is beloved by the local people. But the pepper is facing an unexpected danger: snakes.
The donne’ sali chilli is a variant of Capsicum frutescens, the species that also gives us Tabasco chilli. It was probably introduced to the Mariana Islands in the 17th century. Nowadays it grows wild in the understory.
Birds were thought to be the main consumers of the chilli’s fruits, since they don’t feel …