Piper alatabaccum

Primary tabs

Piper alatabaccum

Description

Shrub or treelet, 2-3 m tall, glabrous. Petiole 1.2-2.5 cm long, vaginate at base; blade not conspicuously glandular-dotted, elliptic, 20-31 x 6-12 cm, apex long-acuminate, base equally attached to petiole, acute; pinnately veined, secondairy veins 7-10 per side, originating from throughout primary vein. Inflorescence erect; peduncle to 1.2 cm long; spike 5-8 cm long, to 12 cm in fruit, white turning green, not apiculate; floral bracts small, rounded peltate, glabrous, caducous; rachis brownish crisp-pubescent. Fruits separate, obovoid with 4 prominent, deltoid or lobed projections at top, glabrous or papillose, stigmas 4, sessile.

Distribution

Bolivar present, Guianas present, Southern America: Venezuela (Venezuela present)
Venezuela (Bolivar), the Guianas; 40 collections studied (GU: 10; SU: 8; FG: 22).

Common Name

English: ah-de-me-puh-tuh-puh, put-poi-ot, yemiki ã

Notes

The leaves have an aromatic smell.
Piper alatabaccum and P. bartlingianum having a rather similar appearance can easily be distinguished and recognized by the fruit characters.