Piper inaequale

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Piper inaequale

Description

Shrub or treelet to 3(-5) m tall, almost glabrous. Petiole 2.5-4.5(-7.5) cm long, vaginate and narrowly winged to apex; blade sometimes discolorous and pale brown beneath, not scabrous, not conspicuously glandular-dotted, elliptic-oblong or somewhat ovate, 20-24(-36) x 7.5-9.5(-17) cm, apex acute to short-acuminate, lower half of blade asymmetrical, base unequally attached to petiole difference 0-0.5 cm: shorter side obtuse to abruptly acute, longer side abruptly rounded, obtuse or cordate, glabrous, except minutely pubescent veins below; pinnately veined, secondary veins 5-6(-8) per side, widely spaced, originating from lower 2/3 or more of primary vein, anastomosing well within margin, prominent below, tertiary veins very widely reticulate, minutely pubescent below. Inflorescence pendent; peduncle slender, 1.5-2.5 cm long, glabrous; spike 1.5-5 cm long, to 0.5 cm wide, not apiculate; rachis glabrous; floral bracts densely marginally fringed. Infructescence to 9 cm long; fruits obovoid or slightly flattened, ca. 2 mm wide, somewhat separate, glabrous or minutely papillate, stigmas 3-4, lanceolate, sessile.

Distribution

French Guiana present, N Brazil present, Southern America: Brazil North (Amapá present), Terr. Roraima present
N Brazil (Amapá, Terr. Roraima) and French Guiana; 35 collections studied (FG: 32).

Notes

Piper inaequale up till now was an obscure taxon, known only from the type collection from French Guiana. It was not mentioned in the treatments neither of Steyermark nor of Burger. Trelease & Yuncker mentioned only the type collection, which is a specimen without fruits. After comparison of the type and further collections I conclude that P. amapense is conspecific with P. inaequale.