Order 98. Aristolochiaceoe. 275 



Konkan hills, not very common (JD. and (7.). Throughout the 

 low country of India (If.)- 



This is one of the plants said to be an antidote to the cobra's 

 bite, sought out and used by the Mungoose. Tennent. " In some 

 American species, one or two of which are grown in Indian 

 gardens, the perianth is almost large enough to form a bonnet for a 

 child." Oliver. 



Bragantia, perianth shortly campanulate, equally 3-lobed, decidu- 

 ous, stamens 6 to 12 in one series, connective thick, style short, 

 stigmas 3 or more, capsule long, 4r-cornered. * B. Wallichii, shrubby, 

 dioecious, branches angled, leaves oblong lanceolate, large, flowers 

 large in small irregular cymes, lobes of perianth broad ovate, 

 stigmas 9, fruit like a silique, 4 inches long. Wari country and 

 Canara (D.). * B. Dalzelii appears to depend on a single specimen 

 found in Dalzell's herbarium, and to differ from the last in the leaves 

 capsule and seeds being very much larger. 



ORDER 99. PIPEBACE.E. Peppers. 



Aromatic herbs or shrubs, leaves entire, flowers minute in 

 catkin-like spikes, each supported by a peltate bract, perianth 

 none, stamens 2 to 6 hypogynous. 



Note. In a true catkin the flowers are unisexual, here they are 

 often hermaphrodite. 



This order and the two next may be called the spice orders, con- 

 taining between them 



" Each spicy rind which sultry India boasts, 

 Scenting the night air round her breezy coasts." 



Dr. Darwin. 



1. PIPER. Shrubs with swollen nodes, leaves often unequal- 

 sided, flowers generally dioecious, filaments short, stigmas 2 to 

 5, berry ovoid or roundish. 



2. PEPEROMIA. Succulent herbs, flowers hermaphrodite, 

 stamens 2, very short, stigma usually tufted, fruit minute. 



1. PIPER. 

 H. has 45 species, but considers them very imperfectly identified. 



P. nigrum (P. trioicum, D.). A large climber clinging very 

 close to trees, leaves polished, ovate acute cordate, often unequal 

 at the base, veined lighter, flowers in pendulous spikes, berries 

 in racemes, rather fleshy, size of a pea, one-sided. KdJcar vel, 

 ran miri. 



This, as H. has settled the species, produces, when cultivated, in 

 the unripe dried berries, black peper, kdla miri, and in the ripe fruit, 



T 2 



