Macropiper.| PIPERACEAE. 369 
1. MACROPIPER Mig. 
Shrubs or small trees ; branches often jointed and swollen at the nodes. 
Leaves alternate, entire, equal or unequal at the base ; stipules often adnate 
to the petiole. Spikes unisexual, dense, axillary, solitary or 2-3 together 
in the upper axils. Flowers very small and numerous, densely packed. 
Stamens 2-3: cells of the anthers distinct, parallel or divergent. Berries 
numerous in the spike, often connate with the bracts and rhachis into a 
subsucculent or fleshy fruit. 
A small genus of some 5 or 6 species, found in New Zealand, Norfolk Island, Lord 
Howe Island, and thence eastwards to Tahiti and northwards to New Guinea. 
( Fire. §-) | 
1. M. excelsum (Mig. Syst. Pip. (1848) 221—An aromatic prefectly 
glabrous densely branched shrub or small tree 8-20 ft. high; branches 
smooth, flexuose, jointed and swollen at the nodes. Leaves petiolate, 
2-5in. long including the petiole, orbicular-cordate or broadly ovate, 
shortly acuminate, cordate at the base or sometimes truncate or rounded, 
7-nerved from the base, smooth and glabrous on both surfaces, yellowish- 
ereen ; petioles 4-14 in. long, lower portion broadly winged on each side 
by the adnate stipules. Spikes unisexual, solitary or binate, terminating 
short peduncles or branchlets springing from the axils of the leaves, slender, 
strict, erect, 1-3in. long. Flowers minute, very densely packed, the 
bract orbicular-peltate, sessile. Stamens 2 or rarely 3. Stigmas 3 or 
rarely 4. Berries densely compacted, small, yellow, broadly obovoid, angled, 
succulent.—F. Muell. Veg. Chath. Is. (1864) 48. Piper excelsum Forst. f: 
Prodr. (1786) n. 20; A. Rich. Fl. Nouv. Zel. (1832) 356 ; A. Cunn. Precur. 
(1836) n. 323; Raoul Choiw (1846) 42; Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. 1 (1853) 
228; Handb. N.Z. Fl. (1864) 254; Cheesem. Man. N.Z. Fl. (1906) 596. 
Var. psittacorum Rk. M. Laing in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xlvii (1915) 22.—Leaves larger, 
4-8 in. long, usually 9-nerved. Spikes longer, often over 6in. long.—W. R. B. Oliver 
in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xlix (1917) 132. Piper psittacorum Hndl. Prodr. Norfik. (1833) 37. 
SS en Begs n.d ra -. Foe: oF 
KERMADEC ISL s: Var. psittacorum abundant, McGillivray, T. F. C., W.. R. B. 
Oliver! North Istanp: Var. psittacorum common on the Three Kings Islands, also 
on the Poor Knights, the Little Barrier, and Tiritiri Islands; the ordinary form 
abundant in lowland districts. SoutrH Istanp: Near the coast-line from Nelson and 
Marlborough southwards to Banks Peninsula and Okarito. CHatTHamM IsLAnDsS: Not 
uncommon, H. H. Travers! F. A. D. Cox! Kawakawa ; Pepper-tree. Flowers 
most of the year. 
The variety plentiful in Norfolk Island and Lord Howe Island, also recorded from 
Tahiti and others of the Pacific islands. The fruit and leaves of the ordinary form 
are aromatic and stimulating, and a decoction of the latter has been used for toothache. 
9. PEPEROMIA Ruiz and Pavon. 179% “Peed. & 
Annual or perennial herbs, usually succulent. eaves alternate or 
opposite or whorled, fleshy or more rarely membranous, often pellucid- 
dotted ; stipules wanting. Spikes slender, terminal or axillary or leaf- 
opposed, solitary or fascicled. Flowers hermaphrodite, minute, sessile or 
sunk in the rhachis of the spike, bracteate ; the bract frequently peltate. 
Perianth wanting. Stamens 2; filaments very short; anther-cells confluent. 
Ovary sessile, obtuse or acute, l-celled; stigma usually penicillate; ovule 
solitary, erect. Fruit minute, indehiscent; seed with a membranous 
testa. 
