128 



Fam. I. Piperaceae (S. A.). 



Shrubby or herbaceous plants with entire leaves. 

 Flowers without a perianth, sessile on a fleshy rhachis, 

 forming a cylindrical spadix, bisexual or unisexual. 

 Stamens 2 — 5; ovary sessile, 1 -celled; ovule 1, erect, 

 basihxed ; fruit a drupe ; seed with a minute embryo, a 

 small endosperm and a large perisperm. Flor. Cap. Vol. v, 1, p. 487. 



The structure of the stem of Piperaceae somewhat 

 approaches the monocotyledonous type, as it contains 

 several circles of fibro-vascular bundles. Pcpcro?nia arfords 

 one of the few examples of an embryo-sac with 16 nuclei. 



Fig. 70. Peperomia rrtustt 

 Dictr. I. Plant in 

 flower. 2. Spike. 5/1. 

 3. Bisexual flower. 

 20/1. 4. Same in long, 

 section. 5. Fruit, in 

 long, section. 20/ 1. 

 />. Perisperm. 



Uses: The black pepper of commerce consists of the 

 unripe fruits of Piper nigrum L., while the white pepper 

 is obtained from the same plant by removing the shell of 

 the ripe fruit. 



