Peperomia

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Peperomia

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<Fruits>Apex

apex obliquely scutellate or truncate, with or without a slender beak,1
1. 005-001

<Fruits>Stigma

stigma apical, central or at base of beak.2
2. 005-002

<Inflorescences>Floral bracts

floral bracts peltate, mainly rounded, glabrous, often glandular.3
3. 003-004

<Inflorescences>Flowers

flowers numerous, loosely or less often densely arranged, sometimes partly sunken in the rachis;4
4. 003-002

<Inflorescences>Position

terminal, leaf-opposed or axillary spikes5
5. 003-001

<Inflorescences>Rachises

rachis glabrous (but hairy in P. tetraphylla);6
6. 003-003

<Leaves>Veins

pinnately or palmately veined.7
7. 002-001

<Stamens>Anthers

anthers 2-locular;8
8. 004-002

<Stamens>Filaments

filaments short,9
9. 004-001

<Stamens>Ovary

ovary with 1 style and stigma, or stigma sessile.10
10. 004-003

Description

Small epiphytic, epilithic, or terrestrial, succulent herbs, creeping, prostrate, hanging, ascending or erect. Leaves alternate, opposite or in whorls or 3-7 per node; pinnately or palmately veined. Inflorescences terminal, leaf-opposed or axillary spikes, solitary or few together, occasionally paniculate; flowers numerous, loosely or less often densely arranged, sometimes partly sunken in the rachis; rachis glabrous (but hairy in P. tetraphylla); floral bracts peltate, mainly rounded, glabrous, often glandular. Stamens 2, filaments short, anthers 2-locular; ovary with 1 style and stigma, or stigma sessile. Fruits minute nuts or drupes (“berries”), (sub)basely or laterally attached, sessile or somewhat stipitate when mature, occasionally somewhat sunken in rachis, smooth or sticky, globose, ellipsoid or cylindrical, apex obliquely scutellate or truncate, with or without a slender beak, stigma apical, central or at base of beak.

Distribution

Guianas present, Neotropics present, Pantropical present
Pantropical, ca. 1000 species, ca. 500 in the Neotropics; 30 species in the Guianas of which 4 endemics.

Fruits

Fruits minute nuts or drupes (“berries”), (sub)basely or laterally attached, sessile or somewhat stipitate when mature, occasionally somewhat sunken in rachis, smooth or sticky, globose, ellipsoid or cylindrical,11
11. 005

Habit

Small epiphytic, epilithic, or terrestrial, succulent herbs, creeping, prostrate, hanging, ascending or erect.12
12. 001

Inflorescences

Inflorescences , solitary or few together, occasionally paniculate;13
13. 003

Leaves

Leaves alternate, opposite or in whorls or 3-7 per node;14
14. 002

Notes

According to Burger (1971: 7), the viscid layer of the fruit may in drying give rise to structures like the "pseudopedicel". It may also be effective in the formation of the beak that is present in several taxa. This beak, however, is also distinct in living collections (G. Mathieu pers. comm.).

Stamens

Stamens 2,15
15. 004