98 cxxiv. PIPERACE^E. (J. D. Hooker.) [Peperomia 



5. P. Wig htiana, Miq. in Hook. Lond. Journ. Sot. v. 548 ; suberect, 

 rather slender, glabrous or with the tips of the leaves ciliolate, leaves 

 opposite and alternate petioled obovate elliptic oblong or orbicular obtuse, 

 3-nerved, spikes 1-3 usually terminal. ? P. Wightiana, Cas. DC. in Prodr. 

 xvi. 1. 420. P. ceylanica, Miq. I. c. 550 ; Cas. DC. I. c. 457. 



The CONCAN, on trees, Stocks. MALABAE, Wight. NILGHIEIS, G. Thomson. 

 CEYLON, Walker; Central Province, alt. GOOO ft., Tliwaites (C. P. 3954). 



Stems 6-10 in., straggling and rooting below, glabrous or puberulous. Leaves 

 |-1 in., very variable, rarely obovate, succulent, glabrous except at the tip; petiole 

 5 in. Spikes 1-2 in., very slender, sometimes paniculate. Cas. DC. describes the 

 stem as pubescent, but it is glabrous in authentic specimens (in Herb. Arnott), and 

 Miquel does not describe it as pubescent. Wight's figure is, I think, taken from 

 P. dindigulensis. I suspect this is only a variety of P. Heyneana. Specimens 

 from the Nilghiris have all the leaves alternate. Miquel's P. ceylanica .has most 

 minute pubescence on the branches j the leaves are chiefly opposite. 



6. P. dindigulensis, Miq. Syst. Pip. 122, in HooJc. Journ. Sot. v. 

 549, and ///. Pip. 19, t. 13 ; stem and leaves pubescent, leaves opposite 

 rarely alternate or 3-uately whorled petioled elliptic-ovate or rounded obtuse 

 or acute 3-5-nerved, spikes slender axillary and terminal solitary or paiiicled. 

 Cas. DC. in Prodr. xvi. 1. 442; ? Wight Ic. t. 1921. P. Heyneana, Wight 

 Ic.i. 1922; Thwaites JEnum. 292. PP. Wightiana, Wight Ic. t. 1924. P. 

 Thwaitesii, Cas. DC. I. c. 448. Piper ovalifolium, Wall. Cat. 6663 A and 

 B (except the lower specimen). 



DECCAN PENINSULA; from the Concan southward, in the moist ghats. 



Very variable, sometimes 18 in. high, with a stem as thick as a goose-quill and 

 suberect, at others more slender and straggling ; stem simple or branched. Leaves 

 1-H i n -j succulent, narrowed into the petiole. Spikes 1-3 in. long. I find nothing 

 answering to Wight's figure of P. Wightiana in his or Arnott's Herbarium ; its alter- 

 nate leaves resemble P. Wightiana, but the hairiness is that of P. dindigulensis. His 

 figure of P. dindigulensis represents a glabrous plant, unlike any species I have. seen ; 

 but for its opposite leaves I should refer it to P. Thomsoni. I have seen no specimens 

 of P. Thwaitesii, Cas DC., but the description entirely accords with P. dindigulensis. 



7. P. portulacoides, A. Dietr. Sp. PI. i. 172; quite glabrous, 

 tufted, stem very stout branched and succulent, leaves opposite or the 

 upper whorled petioled obovate or subrhomboid tip rounded 3-nerved, spikes 

 stout longer than the leaves axillary and terminal. Miq. Syst.- Pip. 130, 

 and in Hook. Lond. Journ. Sot. v. 550; Cas. DC. in Prodr. xvi. 1. 443; 

 Wight Ic. t. 1922. P. Candolleana, Miq. Syst. 146. Piper portulacoides, 

 Lamk. III. 82 ; Vahl Enum. i. 350. P. trifo'lium, Herb. Willd. 



TBAVANCOEE mountains ; at Courtallam, Wight. DISTEIB. Mauritius, Bourbon, 

 Madagascar, Seychelles. 



Stem erect from a creeping base, sometimes as thick as a swan's quill, leafy. 

 Leaves all opposite, 1-2 in. long, very variable in width and thickness, very succulent ; 

 petiole |-J in. Spikes 1-2 in., axillary and terminal. 



Var. conrtallensis ; smaller, leaves narrower. P. courtallensis, Miq. in Hook. 

 Lond. Journ. Bot. v. 594; Cas. DC. in Prodr. xvi. 1. 4G3. Courtallam, Wight. I 

 see no material difference between this and P. portulacoides', and they inhabit the 

 same locality. 



8. P. confusa, HooJc.f. ; quite glabrous, stem and branches diffuse 

 creeping and rooting, leaves subsessile succulent opposite and 3-nately 

 whorled oblong obtuse 3-nerved narrowed at the base, spikes axillary and 

 terminal panicled stout erect more or less thickened upwards. P. courtal- 



