Peperomia glabella
Content
Description
Epiphytic, stoloniferous herb, strongly glandular dotted, erect, hanging, prostrate or ascending. Stem to 15 cm long, green or reddish, glabrous, except for lines of hairs decurrent from nodes. Leaves basely attached, alternate; petiole 0.5-1(-2.5) cm long, usually ciliate with 2 rows of hairs; blade fleshy to membranous, densely black-glandular (when dried), narrowly ovate or ovate, 1.5-8(-11) x 0.5-3.5(-5) cm, margin ciliate near apex, apex acute to acuminate, base acute to acuminate, sometimes subobtuse, glabrous; venation obvious, pli- or palmately 3-5-veined. Inflorescence terminal, single, or several in upper leaf axils, erect to pendent; peduncle 0.5-1.5 cm long, glabrous, black-glandular; spike to 16 cm long, moderately densely flowered, flowers distinctly separate; floral bracts rounded, glabrous and black-glandular. Fruits laterally attached, globose, reddish brown, apex oblique with subapical stigma.
Distribution
C and S America present, Southern America
West Indies, C and S America; over 180 collections studied (GU: 33; SU: 43; FG: 112).
Notes
In the Paris herbarium there is a cover containing 3 isotypes, 2 of which are evidently Hostmann 437 — one of them also mentioning the name Kappler — the third voucher also with collection number 437 bears the name Kegel. It was used to describe Peperomia velloziana var. polysticta. As a result, it can be concluded that the latter is conspecific with P. glabella.
Trelease & Yuncker, l.c.: 587-590 and Steyermark, l.c.: 109 separate the Guianan taxa into 2 resp. 3 varieties. The main differences are the size of the leaves. In a very variable species it seems unnecessary to divide the taxon.
P. glabella is easily recognizable (when dried) by the multitude of dark glandular dots on most parts.
Trelease & Yuncker, l.c.: 587-590 and Steyermark, l.c.: 109 separate the Guianan taxa into 2 resp. 3 varieties. The main differences are the size of the leaves. In a very variable species it seems unnecessary to divide the taxon.
P. glabella is easily recognizable (when dried) by the multitude of dark glandular dots on most parts.