92 
PEPEROMIA MACULOSA. 
Spotted-stalked Peperomia. 
DIANDRIA MONOGYNIA._Nat. Ord. PIPERACE^, Humb. el Kunth.^ 
PIPERITEES, De Ca?u/.-.UIlTICIS AFFINIS, Jms. 
Gen. Char. — Spadix cylindraceus, floribus undique tectus. Stamina duo. 
Stigma iudivisum. Bacca monosperma. CauUs herbaceus. — Humb. et 
Kuntk. 
Peperomia maculosa ; foliis peltatis cordato-ovatis acutis albo-venosis, 
caule " repente"" maculato tenuissime pubescente. 
Piper maculosum. Linn. Sp. PI. p. 42. — Willd. Sp. PL v. i. p. l66. Vahl, 
Emm. PI. V. i. p. 344. — Roem. et SchultZj v. i. p. 320 'Haw. Succ PI. 
p. 4. 
Peperomia variegata^ Fl. Perm. v. i. p. 33. t. 52. f. 
Saururus hederaceus, cauliculis maculosis major. Plum. Am. p. 50. t. 66. 
This appears, in its native woods, to be a species of a large size, according 
to Plumier creeping and attaching itself to the rocks and neighbouring 
trees. The stems are full half an inch thick, swelling at the joints ; 
where the leaves are set on, and at the lowermost joints, throwing out 
rather large, fibrous, simple roots ; cylindrical, green, spotted with pur- 
plish-brown, and every where clothed with a fine pubescence, which 
seems to have been overlooked by every author except Mr Haworth. 
From each of the uppermost joints proceeds a leaf of large size, 6 inches 
or more in length, and of a thick subcoriaceous texture, very dark green 
above and shining, with a broad white midrib and white lateral veins 
curving upwards ; the margin is thin pale, coloured, the extremity acute: 
the underside is of a pale green colour, pubescent, the rib and nerves 
slightly prominent, of the same colour ; the petiole is 6 or 8 inches long, 
thick, pubescent, spotted, grooved on the upper side, with its extremity 
inserted into the underside of the leaf within the margin, so as to consti- 
tute Si. folium peltatum. 
Spike solitary, pedunculated, from the base of the petiole of the terminal leaf, 
having an ovato-lanceolate bractea, from eight inches to a foot in length, 
erect (curved in the drawing for want of room), purplish, cylindrical, 
tapering towards the extremity. 
Florets much crowded. Scales subquadrate, purplish-green. Germens small 
obovate, with a rather long acumen running out above the stigma. An^ 
VOL. II. 
