43 o Piper ac ecu. [Piper. 



nearly glabrous except on veins which are palmate pellucid 

 and prominent beneath, thin, somewhat bullate above, whitish 

 beneath, petiole 4-8 in., cylindrical in upper, channelled in 

 lower part, amplexicaul, pubescent ; spikes 2^-5 in., erect, 

 very shortly stalked, linear, blunt, 2-5 together in stalked 

 axillary umbels usually in pairs ; fl. bisexual, minute, ex- 

 tremely numerous, densely packed, bracts very small, stalked, 

 succulent, with a thickened triangular glabrous top ; stam. 2 ; 

 stigmas 3 ; fruit extremely small, obovate-ovoid, trigonous, 

 flat-topped, brown. 



Moist region in shady places to 4000 ft.; rather common. Fl. 

 December. 



Also in India, Malaya, Trop. Africa, and Madagascar. 

 Whole plant pleasantly aromatic, slightly pungent. 



2. PEPEROMIA, Ruiz. &- Pav. 



Herbaceous, annual or perennial, not climbing, succulent, 

 1. alt., opp. or whorled, entire, without stip., fl. minute, bisexual, 

 in sessile or terminal or leaf-opposed spikes, each with a 

 fleshy peltate bract ; perianth o; stam. 2, fil. very short, anth.- 

 cells confluent; styles 2 or more, very short; fruit minute, 

 indehiscent, dry. — Sp. 370 (described); 10 in Fl. B. Ind. 



L. alfernate (see also 2) . . . i. P. pseudo-RHOMBEA. 

 L. opposite. 



L. glabrous, rotundate . . . 2. P. Wightiana. 



L. glabrous, oblong-oval. . . 3. P. CONFUSA. 



L. pubescent 4. P. dindigulensis. 



L. in whorls of 4 5. P. REFLEXA. 



I. P. pseudo-rbombea, Cas. DC. in DC. Prod. xvi. i, 440 (1869). 

 P. courtalle7isis, var. /3, Thw. Enum. 292. Trim. Syst. Cat. Ceyl. 74. 

 C. P. 2172. 



Fl. B. Ind. V. 97. 



Stem usually procumbent and rooting at lower nodes, 

 with suckers, then erect, about i ft. high, glabrous, succulent ; 

 1. 1^-3 in., alt., oblong-lanceolate or oval, tapering or rounded 

 at base, acute, obscurely 3-nerved, thick, glabrous, petiole 

 i-| in., spikes stalked, very slender, lengthening out to 3-4 in., 

 fl. distant ; fruit globose, warted. 

 Var. /3, tenuis, Tfim. 



Leaves thinner in texture, with 5 veins, the 3 principal 

 ones broad and conspicuous, and 2 lat. ones fainter. 



On wet rocks in the lower montane zone, 3000-5000 ft.; rather 

 rare. Hantane; Hewahette. Var. /3, on Ritigala Hill, N.C. Province, at 

 about 2000 ft. Fl. July-October. 



