Peperomia pernambucensis Miq.

A simple, short-stemmed, succulent, terrestrial, or epiphytic herb; stern 3-5 mm. or more thick, ascending to 5-10 cm. from a briefly decumbent, rooting base, internodes very short, glabrous; leaves alternate, elliptic, elliptic-oblong, or ob-lanceolate, 4-6 or sometimes up to 12 cm. wide X 15-30 cm. long, apex sharp-acuminate, base cuneate, decurrent, pinnately nerved with 5-8 branches on each side of the prominent midrib, glabrous on both sides, minutely hirtellous at the tip, usually drying rather chartaceous and subopaque; petiole 3-5 cm. long; spikes about 2 mm. thick X 10-12 mm. long, verticillate in a loose, terminal or axillary, spike-like paniculate inflorescence up to some 8 cm. long, on a common stalk 4-8 cm. long, the main stalk of the panicle somewhat hirtellous or puberulent; peduncles about 3 mm. long; bracts round-peltate; fruit about 1 mm. long, subcylindrical, slightly obliquely truncate at the apex, stigma central.