Xylopia frutescens Aubl.

A medium-sized tree or shrub; young branchlets densely covered with about 2 mm. long, more or less ferruginous, erect-patent hairs. Leaves rigid, glabrous on upper side, densely covered underneath with long appressed hairs, lanceolate, acute at the base, rather long-acuminate, 4-6 cm. long and 0.8-1.5 cm. broad; petioles 2-4 mm. long. Inflorescences 1-5-flowered, axillary. Sepals ovate, about 2 mm. long, shortly connate at the base. Outer petals 8-11 mm. long and 2.5 mm. broad, oblong-obtuse, sericeous; inner petals a little shorter and narrower. Carpels 6 (or more ?); style with stigma 4 mm. long, glabrous, curvate and thickened above the base. Monocarps 10-13 mm. long and 9-10 mm. broad, rhomboid-globose, obtuse, con-tracted at the base into a stipe 1-2 mm. long. Seeds 2 (or 1), ovoid, black, 6-7 mm. long.

A tropical plant. It grows in Brazil in the drier regions of the Amazon. It grows along roadsides in Panama. In Colombia it grows between 70-1,000 m above sea level. It is often in seasonally flooded areas.

The fruit are used as a substitute for pepper. The seeds are ground and eaten.

Plants are grown from seed. Ripe fruit are harvested and dried in the sun to remove the seeds. Fresh seed should be planted. Seeds germinate in 2-3 months.