158 PIANDRIA TRTGYNIA. Piper. 



7. P. Beth. Linn. sp. pi. cd. Willd. 159. 



Perennial, dioecous, creeping-. Leaves alternate, bifarious, 

 cordate, from five to seven-nerved, smooth, entire. Female 

 aments snb-cylindrie, drooping; 



P. qui saururus, &c. Bnrm. Zei/l. p. 193. t. 83.,/*. 2. 



Beetla codi. Rheed. Mai. 7. 29. 1. 15. 



Sa?is. Tambooh/vwllee, Tamboolee, Nag?«vtdlee. 



Hind, and Beng. Pan. 



I have never met with this plant in its wild state. It is 

 much cultivated over India and the Malay countries. 



Root woody, ramous. Stems woody, creeping on the 

 earth, or rising up trees, poles, &c. when carefully trained 

 to them ; smooth in every part; innumerable roots issue from 

 the joints, by which the plant is well supported after they have 

 taken hold. Leaves alternate, petioled, bifarious, from broad- 

 cordate to obliquely ovate-oblong, somewhat pointed, from 

 five to seven-nerved, entire, smooth ; from four to six inches 

 long, and from two to four broad. Petioles of various lengths, 

 and channelled. Stipules as in P. nigrum. Female aments 

 leaf-opposed, peduncled, filiform, sub-pendulous, closely 

 imbricated with several spiral rows of scales, and corollets, 

 exactly as in P. trioicum. The male jloicers I have never 

 found. 



Obs. The plants are constantly raised from the slips, and 

 cuttings, these are carefully planted in a rich moist soil, well 

 inclosed, and shaded, so that they are in great measure, pro- 

 tected from both sun and wind. In some places, small plan- 

 tations of JEschynomene grandijlora, are made to train them 

 to, and to keep off the sun; in others, poles are employed for 

 the first, and a thin shed of mats over them for the latter pur- 

 pose, they require to be frequently Avatered during the dry 

 weather. Every history of India describes, and every body 

 knows, the use the Hindoos of all ranks make of the leaves 

 of this plant. 



