—-. 
te ne eo 
22 
PEPEROMIA aquapriro.ta. 
Four-leaved Peperomia. 
DIANDRIA MONOGYNIA.—Nar. Orv. PIPERACEZ. 
Gen. Cuar.—Spadix cylindraceus, floribus undique tectus. Stamina duo. 
Stigma indivisum. Bacca monosperma. Caulis herbaceus.—Humb. et 
Kunth. 
Peperomia quadrifolia; glabriuscula, caule erecto simplici terete, foliis 
quaternis obovato-ellipticis enerviis carnosis subtus convexis, spadici- 
bus terminalibus axillaribusque solitariis. 
Peperomia quadrifolia, Humpotpt et Kuntu, Nov. Gen. v. i. p- 69. 
Piper quadrifolium, Swartz, Obs. p.22.—Wit.p. Sp. Pl. v.i. p.168.—Ram. 
et Scuunrz, v. i. p. 381. 
Stem about a span or more in height, erect, cylindrical, jointed, pubescent 
and red below, above green, and very slightly pubescent, almost glabrous. 
Leaves mostly quaternate, rarely quinate, on short footstalks, i 
very thick, fleshy, plane above, deep green, very convex beneath, and of 
a paler yellowish hue ; the lower ones only, and those chiefly on the under. 
side, slightly pubescent : upper ones quite smooth, of a somewhat thinner 
ature, and less obtuse. ; 
Spadix solitary, about 2 inches long, green, slender. Flowers nearly as in 
Peperomia blanda. 
An inhabitant, according to Swartz, of the lofty woody 
mountains of South America. _'The celebrated traveller Hum- 
BOLDT met with it growing in shady, warm places of the pro- 
vince of New Andalusia, between Cariaco and Santa Cruz. 
We have possessed it in the stove of our Botanic Garden for 
these three years. 
It has not been hitherto noticed as existing in any of, our 
gardens, nor is it likely to be prized by the generality of col- 
lectors, as it presents nothing striking to the eye of a common 
observer. 
Fig. 1. Portion of the spadix, with flowers. Fig: 2. Single flower, with its 
scale—Magnified. 
VOL. I. So ee 
