22 
PEPEROMIA QUADRIFOLIA. 
Four-leaved Peperomia. 
DIANDRIA MONOGYNIA Nat. Ord. PIPERACE^, 
Gen. Char.— xSparfi^ cylindraceus, floribus undique tectus. Stamina duo. 
Stigma indivisum. Bacca monosperma. Caulis herbaceus. — Humb. et 
Kuntk. 
Peperomia quadrifoUa; glabriuscula, caule erecto simplici terete, foliis 
quaternis obovato-ellipticis enerviis carnosis subtus convexis, spadici- 
bus terminalibus axillaribusque solitariis. 
Peperomia quadrifolia, Humboldt et Kunth, Nov. Gen. v. i. p. 69. 
Piper quadrifoliura, Swartz, Obs. p. 22 Willd. Sp. PL v. i. p. I68 R(em. 
et ScHULTZ, V. i. p. 331. 
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, spreading, 
very thick, fleshy, plane above, deep green, very convex beneath, and of 
a paler yellovi^ish hue ; the lower ones only, and those chiefly on the under- 
side, slightly pubescent : upper ones quite smooth, of a somewhat thinner 
texture, and less obtuse. 
Spadix solitary, about 2 inches long, green, slender. Flmers 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. 
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