23 
PEPEROMIA POLTSTACHYA. 
Many-stalked Pepermta, 
DIANDRIA MONOGYNIA Nat. Obd. PIPERACEM. 
Gen. Char. — Spadix cylindraceus, floribus undique tectus. Stamina duo. 
Stigma indivisum. Bacca monosperraa. Caulis herbaceus.— Hmwi6. et 
Kunth. 
Peperomia polystachya ; pubescens, foliis ter-quaternisque rhombeo-ro- 
tundatis petiolatis trinerviis reflexis. 
Piper polystachyon. Ait. Hart. Ketv. ed. 1. v. i. p. 49.; ed. 2. v. i. p. 72.— 
WiLLD. Sp. PL V. i. p. 168.— Haw. Succ. PL p. 7.— Roem. et Schultz, 
SysL VegeL v. i. p. 330. 
Piper obtusifolivim, Jacq. ColL v. i. p. 141. (fide Ait.) — Icon, rar. v. i. t. 9. 
(fide WiLLD.) 
Root very much creeping, jointed, and sending up several stems which are 
from 8 to 10 inches high, rather stout, green, succulent, jointed, gla- 
brous below, the rest pubescent, cylindrical, branched only upwards, 
branches ternate. Leaves mostly tern ate, nearly an inch long, rather 
thick, green, pubescent, rhomboid, approaching to orbicular, obtuse, 
marked with 3 nerves, deflexed, petiolated, petioles nearly half an inch 
long on the lower part of the stem, very short, and scarcely existing in 
the upper part. 
Spadices of flowers arising singly, or 2-3 together, from the extremities of 
the branches, green, about 3 inches long, upon short peduncles. Flowers 
numerous. Scales rotundato-quadrate. Stamens 2, roimdish, yellow. 
Pistil ovate : Stigma sessile, radiate. 
A handsome species, inhabitant of Jamaica and Santa Cruz, 
of a delicate pale green colour, and well distinguished by the 
peculiar form of the leaves from all the rest of the genus with 
which I am acquainted. Cultivated in the stove of the Botanic 
Garden of Glasgow, where it flowers in the autumn. It was 
was first brought to this country by Dr John Fothergill 
in 1775. 
Fig. 1 . Portion of a spike, magnified, to shew the structure of the flowers. 
VOL. I. 
