Piperaceae
Magnoliidae: Piperales: The Piperaceae are fleshy herbs, soft shrubs, and infrequently
small trees comprising 10 genera and 1,400 to 2,000 species. The nodes are commonly
swollen or jointed. The leaves are alternate or rarely opposite or whorled, stipules are
adnate to petiole or absent. The bisexual, or less commonly unisexual flowers are minute,
lack perianth and usually are densely packed into rat-tail like spikes. Each flower is
associated with a peltate, umbrella-like bract. The androecium consists of 1-10 stamens.
The compound pistil has a superior ovary and consists of 1-5 carpels with a single locule
and a solitary basal ovule. The fruit is a berry or drupe.
Each "thumbnail" image below is linked to a larger photograph.
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Peperomia tetraphylla, 'ala 'ala wai-nui. Note the succulent leaves, fleshy
stems, and rat-tail-like spikes of very tightly packed tiny flowers in this native
Hawaiian species. Each tiny flower consists of a dark, protruding ovary with two flanking
yellowish stamens. Associated with each flower, directly below the ovary, is a greenish
peltate bract. |
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Peperomia remyi, 'ala 'ala wai nui. Note the rat-tail like spikes and the
herbaceous nature of this Hawaiian endemic. |
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Peperomia sp. Each flower may be identified by a slightly protruding green
ovary with a blackish stigma, a pair of whitish anthers, and a pale greenish circular
subtending bract. |
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Peperomia caperata. Note the tiny flowers in the rat-tail-like spike. |
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Piper nigrum, pepper. Note the immature fruits on the left and nearly ripe
fruits on the right. |
Flowering Plant Family Access Page
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