Piper betle L.

Climbers dioecious. Stems rooted at nodes, 2.5-5 mm thick, slightly woody. Petiole 2-5 cm, very finely powdery pubescent; prophylls ca. 1/3 as long as petioles; leaf blade ovate to ovate-oblong, those at apex of stem sometimes elliptic, 7-15 × 5-11 cm, papery to ± leathery, abaxially densely glandular with very finely powdery pubescent veins, adaxially glabrous, base cordate, sometimes rounded in leaf blades toward apex of stem, symmetric or nearly so, apex acuminate; veins 7, apical pair arising 0.7-2 cm above base, usually opposite, others basal; reticulate veins conspicuous. Spikes leaf-opposed. Male spikes nearly as long as leaf blades at anthesis; peduncle nearly as long as petioles; rachis pubescent; bracts orbicular or suborbicular, rarely obovate, 1-1.3 mm wide, peltate, ± sessile. Stamens 2; filaments thick, ca. as long as anthers or longer; anthers reniform. Female spikes 3-5 × ca. 1 cm, longer in fruit; rachis fleshy, densely pubescent. Ovary partly immersed in and connate to rachis, apex tomentose; stigmas usually 4 or 5, lanceolate, tomentose. Drupes fused to form terete, fleshy, reddish, compound fruit, apices tomentose, prominent. Fl. May-Jul.

A tropical plant. It occurs in the lowlands and up to about 700 m altitude. It needs a reasonably good rainfall. In the Cairns Botanical Gardens. It suits hardiness zones 10-12. At MARDI.

The leaf is used in Africa and SE Asia as a masticatory, digestive or stimulant. The fresh betel leaf, which contains stimulating alkaloids, is first covered in slaked lime. A sliver of betel nut (the seed of the palm Areca catechu) and an extract of the leaves of Uncaria gambir (Rubiaceae) are then added, and the leaf is folded and chewed. The betel nut turns the saliva bright red. Tobacco may also be added to enhance the intoxicating effect, and other flavourings such as cardamon, nutmeg, camphor, menthol, Eucalyptus or sugar are also often included.

Plants are grown from cuttings of the main vine. It also grows wild. It needs stakes or a tree to climb. Fruiting branches can be increased by pruning.