Piper tuberculatum Jacq.

A very nodose shrub or small tree, 2-4 or sometimes up to 6 or 7 m. tall; branches often warty, puberulent when young or less commonly glabrous; leaves subelliptic, subovate, or mostly elliptic-oblong, 3--6 or occasionally up to 10 cm. wide X 7-14 cm. long, apex shortly and rather abruptly acute, base rounded, one side 5-10 mm. shorter at the petiole, the shorter side more elliptic and slightly wider than the longer side, pinnately nerved to near the apex, the nerves 8-10 on each side, with intermediates, rather prominent beneath, glabrous or sparsely puberulent above, puberulent beneath, at least along the nerves, or rarely glabrate, drying membranous, somewhat translucent, obscurely minutely pellucid-dotted; petiole about 5-10 plus 5-10 mm. long, vaginate and narrowly winged throughout with the wings acutely protracted at the base of the blade; spikes 3-5 mm. thick X 5-10 or 12 cm. long; peduncle mostly 10-15 mm. long, rarely up to 2 or 3 cm.; bracts triangular-subpeltate, marginally fringed; fruit somewhat tetragonous, glabrous; stigmas 3, sessile.

A tropical plant.