516 



PIPERACEiE. 



[Hypogvnoiis Exogens. 



embryo, and it seems impossible to doubt their being properly stationed among Dicoty- 

 ledons. In Peperomia incana, the young stems are undoubtedly endogenous in appear- 

 ance, but in P. nigrum and Lonchitis they are as certainly exogenous, and it is probable 



that in the former case the 

 wood eventually arranges it- 

 self in rows. It has, however, 

 been remarked by Blume, that 

 the oldest spiral vessels, and 

 those which have acquired a 

 woody consistence, occupy 

 the circumference of the stem, 

 while those more recently 

 formed are seated towards its 

 centre ; and this is a point 

 which, as Mr. Bennett has 

 observed, requires a careful 

 examination. — Horsfield's PI. 

 Jav. p. 78. Pepperworts are 

 related to Buckwheats, Sau- 

 rurads, and Nettles ; from 

 all which, however, they are 



distinguished by obvious cha- 

 racters ; but more especially 

 to Chloranths, from which 

 they differ in the ovule being 

 erect, and in the presence of 

 a vitellus or amniotic sac 

 round the embryo. In the 

 opinion of those who believe 

 Peppers to be Monocotyle- 

 dons, their station is near 

 Arads, with which, indeed, 

 they must be considered in 

 any point of view to be in 

 some measure connected. 



Exclusively confined to the 

 hottest parts of the world, 

 they are extremely common 

 in tropical America and the 

 Fig. CCCLIII. Indian Archipelago, but, ac- 



cording to Brown, are very 

 rare in equinoctial Africa. Only three species have been found on the west coast ; several 

 exist at the Cape of Good Hope. They delight in low places, valleys, and the banks of 

 rivers. 



Fig. CCCLIII. — Macropiper methysticum. — Pharm. Journal. 



