Indian Chilli Varieties Chilli is the dried ripe fruit of the genus Capsicum. Capsicum annuum is an annual sub shrub, the flowers of which are borne singly and fruits usually pendent, which provide red peppers, cayenne, paprika and chillies and sweet pepper a mild form with large inflated fruits. Capsicum frutescence is a perennial chilly with small sized pods which are highly pungent.