Piper] LXXXEX. PIPERACE.E 523 



(rarely several) pair, alternate or opposite, stipules membranous, enclosing the 

 buds. Spikes commonly leaf-opposed, fl. dioicous or polygamous, rarely 2- 

 sexual, stamens 1-4, filaments short. Ovary 1-celled, stigmas 2-5. Berry 

 1-seeded, seed globose. Species 500, tropical or subtropical, a few only can be 

 mentioned here. 



A. Spikes simple. 



(a) Fruiting spikes compact, dense. 



1. P. Betle, Linn.— Syn. C'haeica Belle, Miq.; Wight Ic. t. 1926. Vera. Pan, 

 Hind.: Kun. Burm. The Betel vine, cultivated for its leaf throughout tropical and 

 subtropical India, in Burma planted near forest trees, in the Peninsula with Erythina. 

 Sesbania and other fast growing trees, in Bengal under the shade of matting. Home 

 uncertain. L. ovate, base usually cordate and unequal-sided, blade 3-8, pet. i-1 in., 

 supra-basal n. alternate. Fruiting spike cylindric, pendulous, 1-5 in. long. Propagated 

 by cuttings, most plants ¥ • -• P- lonfrum, Linn. — Syn. Chavica Roxourghii, Miq. ; 

 Wight Ic t. 1928. "Wild and cultivated in Sikkim. Assam, Lower Bengal, the west 

 side .if the Peninsula, in Malacca and the Malay Archipelago. Cultivated in Ceylon 

 and elsewhere in the tropics. Eootstock erect, thick, jointed, branched, stems herbaceous, 

 numerous. L. membranous, deeply cordate, upper sessile, blade 2-5, pet. (of the lower) 

 1-3 in. long. Fruiting spike (the long pepper of commerce) solid, fleshy, 1-li in. long, 

 blackish green, shining. 3. P. brachystachyum, Wall.— Syn. Chavica ipharo$tachya, 

 Miq. : Wight Ic. t. 1931. Subhimalay.iu tract and outer hills from Simla eastwards, 

 ascending to 5,000 ft. Assam. Khasi hills. Xilgiri, Anamalai and Shevagherri 

 hills. L. elliptic-lanceolate, blade 2-6, narrowed into pet. J-J in. long. Fruiting 

 spike nearly globose-, shortly stalked. 



(ft) Fruiting spikes loose, glabrous. 



0. Supra-basal n. usually opposite. 



1. P. HamUtonii, Cas. D.C. Sikkim Terai. Khasi hills. Chittagong. A stout climber, 



quite glabrous, I. corit ous, fruiting spikes slender, 4-6 in. long. 5. P. Hookeri, Miq. 



western Ghats from Bombay to Kanara. Bababudan hills in Mysore. A climbing 

 shrub, branchlets, petioles and 1. beneath hairy. I. scarcely coriaceous, fruiting spikes 

 slender, 3-6 in. long. 



/3. Supra-basal n. usually alternate. 



6. P. nigrum, Linn.: Wighl Ic. t. 1934.— Syn. /'. trioicum, Roxb. ; Wight Ic. t. 1935. 

 The Black Pepper. Win. Kali mirch, Hind.: Milahu, Tarn. ; Nga-yok-kaung, Burm. 

 Cultivated in the Kans of Mysore and other evergreen forests of tropical India and 

 Burma, doubtfully indigenous on the Western Ghats. A stout climber, perfectly 

 gin 1 irons. 1. more '>r less coriaceous, base cuneateor rounded, blade I 6, pet. i— 3 in. long, 

 basal n. 3 or ■">. Fruiting spike slightly interrupted, drooping, 4-6 in. long, red when 

 ripe, 7. P. argyrophyllum, Miq. Western (iliats. Ceylon, moist country 1—1. mm ft. 

 Grows up the trunks of trees, rooting like ivy, stems up to 2j in. diam. L. ovate-lanceo- 

 late, base cuneate, nol unequal, blade 8 •">. pet. J in. long, 



(c) Fruiting spikes loose, hairy. 



8. P. trichostachyon, Cas. In'.— Syn. Mulder a trichettachya, Miq.; Wight Ic. t. 1944. 

 Western Ghats from Bombay to Kanara. Nilgiri and Shevagherry hills. A stout 



climber, 1. coriai us. tort . n. distinct, fr. spikes 8-4 inches long, interrupted, fr. yellow, 



globose, J in. diam. 



B. Spikes umbellate, tl. 2-sexual. 



9. P. subpeltatum, W MM. — Syn. Potliomorphe tubpeltata, Miq.; Wight Ic. t. 1925. 

 Western Ghats from North Kanara southwards. Ceylon, moist region. An erect 

 shrub, branches thick soft, I. orbicular, deeply cordate, blade 8 12 in. diam., pet. I s 

 in., spikes 8 5 in. long. 



OederXC. MYRISTICACEvE. Gen. PL iii. 135 (Myruticece). 



(Warburg, Monographic der Afyristicaceen, Hallo. 1897 



Evergreen and aromatic trees or large shrubs, 1. often distichous, usually 

 glabrous beneath, en t ire, pen ni nerved, often pellucid-punctate. Fl. l-sexual, 



