Pii>er.'\ Piperacece. 423 



2. A. indica, L. Sp. PL 960 (1753). Sap-sanda, S. Feru- 

 maruntu, T. 



Herm. Mus. 9. Burm. Thes. 32. FI. Zeyl, n. 323. Moon Cat. 60. 

 Thw. Enum. 291. C. P. 2258. 



FL B. Ind. V. 75. Wight, Ic. t. 1858 {A. lanceolqtd). 



Stems slightly woody at base, very long, slender, twining, 

 glabrous; 1. variable, usually about 4 in., linear-lanceolate, 

 rounded at base, acuminate, obtuse, entire but somewhat 

 undulate, glabrous, lower ones often ovate, subcordate at base, 

 petiole I in. ; fl. on rather long glabrous ped., 2-4 in a shortly 

 stalked corymb, bracts small, ovate, acuminate; perianth \\ 

 in., inflated base globose, then bent at a right angle and 

 suddenly narrowed into a cylindrical tube with trumpet- 

 shaped mouth, lip oval, pilose ; lobes of style short, pointed ; 

 capsule pendulous, globose-oblong with a slender base, the 

 valves remaining attached to summit, seeds flat, winged. 



Low country to 3000 ft.; common, especially in the moist region. Fl. 

 November-January ; greenish-white, lip blackish-purple. 



Throughout India. 



The leaves have a slightly aromatic scent and a faint bitter taste. 

 The powdered root is a medicine of much repute in the treatment of 

 children's bowel-complaints, and also forms an ingredient in a cure for 

 cobra-bite. 



\A. Thivaitesii, Hook., cultivated at Kew in 1856, and figured in 

 Bot. Mag. t. 4918, was at first erroneously stated to be from Ceylon; its 

 native country is not known.] 



CIX.— PIPERACE^. 



Herbs or shrubs often climbing, 1. alt. or opp. (rarely whorled) 

 with or without stip., fl. minute, bisexual or unisexual and 

 usually dioecious, sessile, bracteate, in leaf-opposed or terminal 

 spikes; perianth o; stam. 1-3, anth.-cells distinct or confluent; 

 ov. i-celled with a solitary erect ovule, styles 2-6; fruit in- 

 dehiscent, pulpy or dry; seed solitary, with a very minute 

 embryo in copious hard floury endosperm. 



Usually climbing; fruit not minute . . i. PiPER. 

 Not climbing ; fruit minute . . .2. Peperomia. 



Principally found in the moist region, especially in the hills where 

 9 out of our 14 species occur, 5 of them (3 Piper and 2 Peperoniid) being 

 endemic. 



I. PZPEXl, L. 



Perennial herbs or shrubs usually scandent by adventitious 

 roots at the nodes, 1. alt., entire, stip. membranous, enclosing 



