424 



Piperacece. 



{Piper. 



bud, fl. minute, usually unisexual and dioecious (rarely bi- 

 sexual or monoecious), each sessile in axil of a fleshy bract 

 and often with 2 lateral bractlets, arranged in leaf-opposed or 

 terminal spikes ; perianth o; stam. 1-3, anth. 2-celled ; styles 

 2-6; fruit more or less globose, slightly pulpy; seed solitary, 

 with hard endosperm. — Sp. 520 (described) ; 45 in Fl. B. Ind. 



Spikes solitary. 



Fruit very small, sunk in fleshy cylindrical 

 axis {Chavica). 

 Fruit-spike under 2 in., erect 

 Fruit-spike over 2 in., pendulous 

 Fruit distinct, sessile on axis. 



Bracts circular, peltate, margin free all 

 round ....... 



Bracts oblong or oval, adnate to axis except 



at summit. 



Bracts without or with very slightly 



raised margins ; fruit \ in. 



L. over 4 in., broadly ovate-oval ; fl. 



usually bisexual .... 



L. under 4 in. 



L. 1 5-27 in., broadly ovate-oval, 

 reticulate ..... 



L. 2-4 in., oblong-lanceolate, 3- 



veined 



Bracts with raised margins; fruit ^ in. 

 Fruit broadly ovoid 

 Fruit globose ..... 

 Spikes in umbels {Heckeria) .... 



1. P. I.ONGUM. 



2. P. Betle. 



3. P. Thwaitesii. 



4. P. NIGRUM. 



5. P. ZEYLANICUM. 



6. P. TRINEURON. 



7. P. ARGYROPHYLLUM. 



8. P. SYLVESTRE. 



9. P. SUBPELTATUM. 



I. P. long'um, L. Sp. PI. 29 (1753). Tippili, S. &^ T. 



Fl. Zeyl. n. 30. Moon Cat. 5. Chavica Roxbiirg/ni, Miq., Thw. 

 Enum. 292. C. P. 2953. 



Fl. B. Ind. V. 83. Wight, Ic. t. 1928. 15entl. and Trim. Med. Pi. 

 t. 244 



Rootstock erect, thick, jointed, branched, stems numerous, 

 2-3 ft., ascending or prostrate (not climbing) much branched, 

 stout, cylindrical, thickened above nodes, finely pubescent ; 1. 

 numerous, 2^-3^, in., lower ones broadly ovate very cordate 

 with broad rounded lobes at base, upper ones oblong-oval, 

 cordate at base, all subacute, entire, glabrous, thin, bullate with 

 reticulate venation sunk above and raised beneath, dark green 

 and shining above, pale and dull beneath, petiole of lower 1. 

 2-3 in., stout, of upper 1. very short or none, stip. about A in,, 

 membranous, lanceolate, obtuse, soon falling; spikes solitary 

 pedunculate, male slender, bracts narrow, fem. A-i in., bracts 

 circular, flat, peltate; stam. 2; stigmas 3 or 4, short, spreading, 

 persistent ; fruit very small, ovoid, completely sunk in solid 



