CA'II. PIPERACE.^. 527 



Leaves coriaceous, 4-7 by 2-5 in., broadly ovate, acuminate, glabrous, 

 5-9-nerved, the supra-basal nerves usually alternate, base usually 

 rounded, more or less oblique ; petioles j-l in. long. Flowers in slightly 

 interrupted glabi'ous spikes of variable length (2-fi in.), dioecious or 

 sometimes polygamous ; bracts of the female spikes more or less adnate 

 to the rhacliis, forming a short hemispheric cup beneatli the ovary ; 

 bracteoles forming a semilunar ridge above the ovary. Stamens 2. 

 Stigmas 2-4. I'ruit globose, | in. in diam. or less, at first yellow, 

 afterwards becoming I'ed when fully ripe. Fl. B. I. v. 5, p. 90 ; Grab. 

 Cat. p. 198 ; Dalz. & Gibs. Suppl. p. 84 ; Trim. Fl. Ceyl. v. 3, p. 427 ; 

 Talb. Trees, Bomb. ed. 2, p. 279; Woodr. in Joiirn. Bomb. Nat. 

 V. 12 (1899) p. 366 -fe Gard. in Ind. ed. 5, p 448 ; Prain, Beng. PI. p. 893 ; 

 "Watt, Diet. Econ. Prod. v. 6, part 1, p. 260. Piper triokum, Eoxb. Fl. 

 Ind. v. 1, p. 151 ; Wight, Icon. t. 1935 ; Grab. Cat. p. 199.— Flowers : 

 Xov.-Jan. Veen. Kdla-miri ; Mirvel. 



Doubtfully indigenous, but found abundantly in some of the N. Kanara forests 

 probably as an escape. It is cultivated in the Konkan and Kanara, and the fruit 

 furnishes the black and, when divested of its skin, the ivhite pepiJer of commerce. 

 See Watt, Diet. Econ. Prod. 1. c. — Distrib. Cultivated in India, Ceylon, and the 

 tropics generally. 



3. Piper Hookeri, Miq. in HooTc. Lond. Joum. Bot. v. 4 (1845) 

 p. 437. A climbing shrub ; branches stout, subterete ; branchlets 

 hairy. Leaves equal-sided, 2-4 by I2-2 in., brown when dry, ovate or 

 oblong-lanceolate, obtusely acuminate, thinly coriaceous, glabrous above, 

 hairy beneath, 5-7-nerved from a subcordate equal or less commonly 

 oblique base, or with 2 of the nerves slightly supra-basal and opposite ; 

 petioles |-| in. long, hairy or tomentose. Flowers in slender spikes, 

 the male spikes 3-6 in. long ; bracts of male flowers orbicular, some- 

 times adnate below and shortly decurrent. Stamens 2. Stigmas 3-4, 

 grey-tomentose, reflexed. Fruit globose. Fl. B. I. v. 5, p. 88 ; Dalz. & 

 Gibs. p. 315 (by error 115) 5 Talb. Trees, Bomb. ed. 2, p. 278 ; Woodr. 

 in Joum. Bomb. Nat. v. 12 (1809) p. 366.— Flowers : Apr.-Sept. 



Konkan: Matheran, Cookel Deccan: Mahablesliwar, Cooke \, Dahell ^- Gibson, 

 Law'.; on the Ghats from Bombay southwards to Kanara, Talbot. — Dtstrib. India 

 (W. Peninsula). 



4. Piper subpeltatum, Willd. Sp. PL v. 1 (1797) p. 166. A large 

 perennial erect herb 3-5 ft. high ; stem thick, jointed, warted, but 

 glabrous, branched. Leaves very large, 8-12 in. in diam., orbicular, 

 shortly acuminate, entire or nearly so, glabrous except on the nerves 

 beneath, closely gland-dotted, base deeply cordate with a narrow sinus, 

 palmately nerved ; petioles 4-8 in. long, striate, amplexicaul at the 

 base. Flowers hermaphrodite, minute, very numerous and closely 

 packed ; spikes subumbellate, 3-7 together, 3-5 in. long, very shortly 

 pedicellate ; bracts small, stalked, succulent, with a thickened triangular 

 glabrous tip. Stamens 2. Stigmas S. Fruit minute, trigonous, obovoid, 

 truncate, brown. Fl. B. I. v. 5, p. 95 ; Trim. Fl. CeyL v. 3, p. 429 ; 

 Talb. Trees, Bomb. ed. 2, p. 279. Pothomorphe suhpeltata, Miq. Syst. Pip. 

 p. 213; Wight, Icon. t. 1925.— Flowers : Oct.-Jan. 



Rare. Kanara : in open situations in some evergreen forests of N. Kanara, Talbot. 

 — DrsTitiii. India (W. Peninsula) ; Ceylon, Penang, Malay Islands, Tropical Africa, 

 Madasrascar. 



