426 Piper ac ecu. {Piper, 



which are probably a 5-nerved variety of Betel (see Journ. Linn. Soc. 

 xxiv. 134), but the Sinhalese name 'Malamiris' refers to a wild species 

 {P. sylvestre). 



P. Chawya, Ham. {Chnvica Chuvya, Miq., Thw. Enum. 428), is 

 another variety scarcely distinguishable from var. Siriboa. It is called 

 ' Siwiya-wel,' and is C. P. 3691. The leaves are usually very unequal at 

 the base, thick, dark green, and shining above. Figured in Miq. 111. 

 Pip. t. 39. 



Betel leaves are a universal masticatory, and considered to be stimu- 

 lant and carminative ; the whole plant has a peculiar and characteristic 

 odour and taste. I have not seen male flowers, and fruit is rare, the 

 plant being always propagated by cuttings. 



3. P. Thwaitesii, Cas. DC. in DC. Prod. xvi. i, 357 (1869). 

 [Plate LXXVII.] 



P. arcuatum, Thw. Enum. 293 (in part). P. bantamense, Cas. DC. 

 1. c. 362. Trmi. Sys. Cat. Ceyl. 74. C. P. 2178 (35 part). 



Fl. B. Ind. V. 82. {P. caninion, var.) 



Widely climbing, stems attaining | in. diam., much 

 branched, greatly thickened at nodes, bark rough, lenticellate, 

 young parts glabrous ; 1. 3-4 in., ovate-lanceolate, rounded or 

 slightly tapering and often unequal at base, acuminate, very 

 acute, prominently 5-nerved from near the base, with the 

 cross-veins conspicuous beneath, glabrous, coriaceous, slightly 

 bullate above, paler almost glaucous beneath, petiole ^-f in.; 

 spikes slender, drooping, peduncle shorter than petiole, male 

 1-2 in., female under i in. (occasionally monoecious with male 

 fl. in upper and fem. in lower portion), rachis finely hairy, 

 bracts densely crowded, at first slightly imbricate, peltate, 

 circular, margins membranous, free all round, sometimes den- 

 ticulate; stam. 2 (rarely i),fil. very thick and short, anth. -cells- 

 distinct ; stigmas usually 4 (sometimes 2 or 3) ; fruiting spikes 

 1-2 in., rachis much twisted and flexuose, thick, fruit ^qw, 

 irregularly produced (the intermediate spaces occupied with 

 numerous undeveloped or abortive ovaries), about \ in., broadly 

 ovoid or nearly globose, not at all narrowed at base, dull red, 

 pulp rather copious. 



On trunks of trees in upper montane zone; common. Fl. May-Sept. 



Endemic (?). 



Each fruit, both mature and abortive, appears to be surrounded at its 

 base by a membranous cup. This is, however, made up of the free 

 margins of the four surrounding bracts and by fluffy brownish hairs 

 coming off from the rachis between them. 



I do not understand for what reason Sir J. Hooker (in Fl. B. Ind.) 

 places this in the Cubcba section and under P. caninum, Bl. It seems to 

 belong to his section Pscudo-Chavica^ and has some points of resemblance 

 with /'. Sc/iiiiidtii, Hk. f of the Nilgiris; the fruit is never at all stalked. 

 Dries black. There is a variety with much smaller fruit. Fruit pungent 

 to taste, and collected by the natives for a condiment. 



