DICOTYLEDOXS 



Family I. PIPERACE^. 



Herbs, shrubs, or rarely trees. Leaves alternate, opposite or 

 whorled, without stipules in the Jamaican species, entire (very 

 rarely 3-lobecl), palmi- or penni-nerved, sometimes glandular- 

 dotted, sometimes succulent. Flowers hermaphrodite, without 

 a perianth, in spikes which are sometimes fleshy, stalked, 

 terminal or opposite the leaves, or more rarely axillary or several 

 together on a common peduncle ; flowers small to minute, densely 

 or sparsely arranged in whorls or spirals ; bracts sessile or 

 stalked, sometimes peltate. Stamens 2-6, rarely more, hvpo- 

 gynous ; anthers %vith two distinct cells, which are sometimes 

 confluent, with longitudinal dehiscence. Ovary sessile or rarely 

 stalked, unilocular, with 1 ovule ; stigmas 3 to 4 or solitary ; 

 ovule orthotropous. Fruit a small berry ; seed containing a 

 small embryo and both perisperm and endosperm. Vascular 

 bundles of the stem arranged in two or more rings. 



Species more than 1,300, widely distributed in the tropics 

 of the whole world, sometimes subtropical. 



Herbs 1. Pepcromia. 



Shrubs or trees 2. Piper. 



1. PEPEROMIA P.uiz .t Pav. 



Herbs, annual or perennial, often prostrate, with thin or 

 succulent stems. Leaves succulent or thinly membranous, generally 

 with pellucid dots. Flowers sometimes slightly sunk in pits in 

 the rhachis. Spikes solitary or 2 or panicled, terminal, or 

 solitary axillary or opposite the leaves. Bracts round or ellip- 

 tical, sessile under each flower. Stamens 2. Ovary sessile or 

 sometimes stalked, apex obtuse, acute or beaked ; stigma ter- 

 minal or lateral below the beak. Berry minute, ellipsoidal to 

 globose, sessile or stalked, verruculose or smooth, viscid, witli a 



B 



