CHAPTER VIII 
PEPPERS 
The true peppers all belong to the genus Piper, order 
Piperaceae, the plant producing cayenne, or red pepper, 
being not a true pepper, but belonging to the order 
Solanaceae, and the genus Capsicum, under which name 
it will be described. Among other spices to which the 
name pepper is applied are Jamaica pepper, a name for 
allspices or pimento, and Melegueta pepper, a name for 
Grains of Paradise [Amomum melegueta), which will be 
found under their proper headings. 
The genus Piper contains a very large number of 
plants, nearly all climbers, scattered over the tropics, but 
most of these, though possessing more or less of the 
aromatic biting taste characteristic of black pepper, are 
too weak or ill-flavoured to be used as a spice. By far 
the most important of all these plants is the black 
pepper [Piper nigrum, L.), and next to this comes the 
long peppers [Piper officinarum and Piper longum ) ; 
African pepper [Piper Clusii) is used to a small extent, 
and cubebs [Piper cuheha), in early days used as a spice, 
has for many centuries been valued more as a drug. 
Bakek [Piper miniatum), with long, slender, pungent 
spikes, is used for chewing with betel-nut by natives, as 
are the leaves of the betel pepper [Piper hetle). Piper 
sylvaticum, Roxb., is an Indian pepper used chiefly as 
a drug by natives, and a few others in different parts of 
the world are used by natives only, for spices or drugs. 
The kava [Piper methysticum), used to make an 
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