Piper?^ Piperacecs. 431 



Endemic. 



Var. /3 is, perhaps, P. Thoinsoni^ Hk. f., given doubtfully for Ceylon in 

 Fl. B. Ind., and found in the Nilgiri Mountains. 



P. Fraseri, Cas. DC. — A little annual species, which appears to be 

 this, is a very common weed in Peradeniya Gardens. It is a native of 

 Trop. America. 



2. P. Wig*htiana, Altq. in Lond. Jourii. Bot. v. 548 (1846). 

 P. Heyneana^ Miq., Thw. Enum. 292 (part). P. zeylmiica, Miq. 1. c. 

 550. Trim. Syst. Cat. Ceyl. 74. C. P. 3954. 

 Fl. B. Ind. V. 98. 



Stems 3-6 in., procumbent or ascending, slender, glabrous 

 or nearly so, 1. \-\ in., alt. or opp., rotundate-oval, rounded at 

 both ends, slightly ciliate, otherwise glabrous, obscurely veined, 

 petiole \-\ in., slender; spikes i-ij in., stalked, very slender, 

 much exceeding l, erect ; fl. laxly arranged ; fruit globose, 

 slightly rough. 



Upper montane zone ; very rare (?) Bopatalawa, at about 6000 ft. Fl. 

 October. 



Also in S. India. 



I have seen only the C. P. specimens. 



3. P. confusa, Hk.f. in Fl. B. Ind. v. 98 (i< 

 P. courtallensis., Thw. Enum. 292 ; Cas. DC. 1. c. 463. Trim. Syst. 



Cat. Ceyl. 74 (non Miq.). C. P. 2173. 

 Fl. B. Ind. v. 98. 



Stem 3-9 in., ascending, with many roots at the lower 

 nodes, then erect, much branched, succulent, glabrous ; 1. opp. 

 rarely in whorls of 3, variable, \-\\ in., oval or oblong-oval, 

 tapering to base, obtuse at apex, entire or slightly crenate, 

 fleshy, faintly 3-nerved, petiole short; spikes numerous, long- 

 stalked, much exceeding 1., erect, rather stout, blunt, often 

 thickened upwards, fl. closely placed. 



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

 common. Fl. September-January. First collected in Hantane by Moon. 



Endemic. 



Very variable in habit, size of leaves, &c. ; a very dwarf, succulent 

 state is not uncommon. I follow Sir J. Hooker in separating this from 

 the widely distributed P. poriulacoides, A. Dietr. {P. courtallensis, Miq.), 

 which, however, chiefly differs in its longer petioled leaves ; it is figured 

 in Wight, Ic. t. 1922, f. 2. 



4. P. dindig-ulensis, Miq. Sysf. Pip. 122 (1843). 



P. Heyneana, Thw. Enum. 392 (part) (non Miq.). P. Thwaitesii, Cas. 

 DC. I. c. 448; Trim. Syst. Cat. Ceyl. 74. C. P. 2956. 



FL B. Ind. V. 98 (not given for Ceylon). Wight, Ic. t. 1922, f. I 

 {P. Heyneana) and t. 1924 (P. IVightiatta). 



Whole plant (except spikes) covered with fine close 

 pubescence, stems erect, stout, succulent, rooting at lower 



