Piper demeraranum

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Piper demeraranum

Description

Subshrub or shrub, 1-2.5 m tall. Stem crisp-pubescent or sometimes appressed-pubescent. Petiole 0.3-0.5(-1) cm long, crisp-pubescent, vaginate to blade; blade membranous or subcoriaceous, not scabrous, not glandular-dotted, dark green above, more pale below, elliptic to oblanceolate, 11-26(-35) x 4-9 cm, apex acuminate, base unequally attached to petiole difference 0.1-0.4 cm, unequally cordate, with slightly larger, auriculate lobe mostly covering petiole, glabrous above, crisp-pubescent below; pinnately veined, secondary veins 8-11(-14) per side, originating from throughout primary vein, flat to impressed above, prominent below, tertiary veins widely reticulate. Inflorescence erect; peduncle to 1 cm long, pubescent, green; spike 3.5-4.5 cm long, white, yellow or green, apiculate; rachis glabrous; floral bracts cucullate, glabrous or dorsally puberulent. Infructescence to 6 cm long, 10 mm wide, green; fruits globose, 2-2.5 mm wide, puberulent at apex, stigmas 3, sessile.

Distribution

Guianas present, Southern America: Brazil North (Amazonas present); Colombia (Colombia present); Venezuela (Venezuela present), Trinidad present
Colombia, Venezuela, Trinidad, the Guianas and Brazil (Amazonas); 52 collections studied (GU: 25; SU: 14; FG: 16).

Common Name

English: warakabakoro

Notes

According to Trelease and Yuncker (1950: 380), specimens in NY with the type number, Hostmann 312, belong to Piper hispidum var. trachydermum.
Trelease and Yuncker (1950: 378) placed Piper lenormandianum C. DC. in synonymy of P. kappleri. While studying the Kew type specimen of the latter I had to conclude that this specimen is clearly different and belongs to P. demeraranum instead of to P. cyrtopodum.
The numbering of the Sagot collections poses a problem here. Sagot 844 at K is certainly P. demeraranum. Specimens with the same number 844 in NY and P are correctly assigned to P. wachenheimii. The two species are clearly separable by the shape of the leaves. We have to conclude that 844 is not an exclusive number for the species mentioned.