Piper thomsonii (C.Dc.) Hook.F.

Species

Angiosperms > Piperales > Piperaceae > Piper

Characteristics

Climbers herbaceous, 1-2 m long, glabrous or very finely powdery puberulent, dioecious. Stems 3-4 mm thick, finely ridged when dry, glabrous. Petiole 1-2.5 cm, glabrous to very finely pubescent; prophylls ca. 1/2 as long as petioles; leaf blade ovate, ovate-lanceolate, or elliptic, 6-16 × 3-8 cm, membranous to thinly papery, drying pale green abaxially, abaxially densely brownish red glandular especially along veins, very finely powdery pubescent along veins especially abaxially, glabrescent, base rounded, or shallowly cordate, occasionally broadly cuneate, often oblique, apex acuminate to long acuminate; veins 5-7, apical pair arising 0.5-5 cm above base, next pair sometimes also arising above base; reticulate veins conspicuous Spikes leaf-opposed. Male spikes 3-5.5 cm × 1.7-2 mm, ± white; peduncle to 8 mm; bracts orbicular, 0.8-1 mm wide, peltate, abaxially brownish red glandular, adaxially pubescent, ± sessile. Stamens (2-)4; filaments slender, short; anthers reniform. Female spikes cylindric to globose, to 1.5 cm, 0.6-2 cm × 6-8 mm in fruit; peduncle 4-10 mm; bracts as in male spikes. Ovary globose, distinct; stigmas 2. Drupe drying black, globose, closely spaced, ca. 2 mm in diam. Fl. Apr-Jul.
More
A herb. It lies along the ground and is somewhat woody. It forms roots at the nodes. The leaves are oval and taper to the tip. They are heart shaped at the base. They are dark green. The fruit is in a long spike.
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Growth support climber
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Sexuality dioecy
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JanFebMar
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JulAugSep
OctNovDec
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Environment

It is a tropical plant. It grows in shady high rainfall areas.
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Hardiness (USDA) 8-12

Usage

The leaves are eaten with betel nut. They are chewed raw. They are also cooked with rice flour and eaten in curry. Sometimes fruit are added to curries.
Uses medicinal
Edible leaves
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Cultivation

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Distribution

Piper thomsonii world distribution map, present in China, India, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Thailand, and Viet Nam

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:683717-1
WFO ID wfo-0001094117
COL ID 4J67T
BDTFX ID -
INPN ID -
Wikipedia (EN)
Wikipedia (FR)

Synonyms

Piper punctulivenum Piper petiolatum Piper trichostigma Chavica petiolata Chavica thomsonii Piper bavinum Piper thomsonii var. trichostigma Piper thomsonii var. thomsonii Piper thomsonii Piper thomsonii var. microphyllum