Piper augustum

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Piper augustum

Content

<<Inflorescences>Peduncle>Length

1-2(-3) cm long1
1. 003-002-001

<<Inflorescences>Spikes>Diameter

to 2.5 cm diam. (in vivo)2
2. 003-003-002

<<Inflorescences>Spikes>Length

4-20 cm long3
3. 003-003-001

<<Petiole>Blade>Apex

apex acute,4
4. 002-002-004

<<Petiole>Blade>Base

base almost equal to unequally attached to petiole, acute or obtuse, occasionally truncate;5
5. 002-002-005

<<Petiole>Blade>Dimensions

15-35 x (6-)9-15(-18) cm6
6. 002-002-002

<<Petiole>Blade>Margins

margin ciliate,7
7. 002-002-003

<<Petiole>Blade>Shape

elliptic-ovate to oblong-elliptic8
8. 002-002-001

<Fruits>Diameter

2 mm in diam.9
9. 004-002

<Fruits>Length

to 4 mm long10
10. 004-001

<Fruits>Stigma

stigmas obsolete.11
11. 004-003

<Habit>Height

to 2-4(-8) m tall12
12. 001-001

<Inflorescences>Floral bracts

floral bracts densely marginally fringed.13
13. 003-005

<Inflorescences>Growth form

pendent, may be erect or horizontal at first14
14. 003-001

<Inflorescences>Peduncle

peduncle glandular-dotted, , red to brown;15
15. 003-002

<Inflorescences>Rachises

rachis glabrous, sometimes red;16
16. 003-004

<Inflorescences>Spikes

spike , , (greenish) white or green with purple points, not or slightly apiculate;17
17. 003-003

<Petiole>Blade

blade glandular-dotted, , ,18
18. 002-002

<Petiole>Length

0.5-4 cm long19
19. 002-001

<Petiole>Veins

pinnately veined, secondary veins 10-16 per side, strongly curved, originating from throughout primary vein.20
20. 002-003

Common Name

Boni (French Guiana): gan bushi man lembe lembe

Description

Shrub or treelet, to 2-4(-8) m tall, glabrous, except for ciliate leaf margin. Petiole 0.5-4 cm long, vaginate at base; blade glandular-dotted, elliptic-ovate to oblong-elliptic, 15-35 x (6-)9-15(-18) cm, margin ciliate, apex acute, base almost equal to unequally attached to petiole, acute or obtuse, occasionally truncate; pinnately veined, secondary veins 10-16 per side, strongly curved, originating from throughout primary vein. Inflorescence pendent, may be erect or horizontal at first; peduncle glandular-dotted, 1-2(-3) cm long, red to brown; spike 4-20 cm long, to 2.5 cm diam. (in vivo), (greenish) white or green with purple points, not or slightly apiculate; rachis glabrous, sometimes red; floral bracts densely marginally fringed. Fruits oblongoid, glabrous, may be somewhat papillose, to 4 mm long, 2 mm in diam., becoming stylose or mammiform at apex, stigmas obsolete.

Distribution

Southern America: Costa Rica (Costa Rica present); Peru (Peru present), northern S America present
From Costa Rica to northern S America and Peru; ca. 90 collections studied (GU: 12; SU: 6; FG: 70).

Fruits

Fruits oblongoid, glabrous, may be somewhat papillose, , , becoming stylose or mammiform at apex,21
21. 004

Habit

Shrub or treelet, , glabrous, except for ciliate leaf margin.22
22. 001

Individuals Association

Suriname, Oelemari R., Wessels Boer 1095 Suriname, Tumac Humac Mts., Acevedo 5987 Guyana, Pakaraima Mts., Paruima, Maas et al. 5601 Saül, Boom 10787 Guyana, Cuyuni-Mazaruni region, McDowell 4748 Görts et al. 108

Inflorescences

Inflorescence ;23
23. 003

Notes

Piper augustum is easily recognizable by the large number of secondary veins, the ciliate leaf margin and the thick infructescence.
Yuncker (1957: 265) recognized P. augustum var. pubinerve Trel. & Yunck. with the veins beneath puberulent, said to occur in Guyana and French Guiana, and expected to occur in Suriname. I have no indication that this taxon, originally described from Chocó in Colombia, occurs in the Guianas.

Petiole

Petiole , vaginate at base;24
24. 002

Uses

Leaves have a spicy odour when crushed. In Amazonia Indians use stems as tooth brush. It was also used to prevent tooth decay (Davis & Yost, Bot. Mus. Leafl. 29(3): 182. 1983).