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Vines and Climbing Plants of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

Vines and Climbing Plants of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands

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344<br />

<strong>Vines</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Climbing</strong> <strong>Plants</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Puerto</strong> <strong>Rico</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Virgin</strong> Isl<strong>and</strong>s<br />

34. Family PIPERACEAE<br />

1. PEPEROMIA<br />

Terrestrial or epiphytic herbs, erect, prostrate, pendulous, or climbing; stems succulent, glabrous<br />

or pubescent. Leaves alternate, opposite or whorled, with palmate or pinnate venation; petioles elongate<br />

or short or less frequently absent. Flowers numerous, in terminal spikes or opposite <strong>the</strong> leaves; stamens<br />

2; ovary superior, sessile or stipitate, <strong>the</strong> stigma one, terminal or lateral. Fruit a minute drupe, ellipsoid<br />

or globose, sessile or stipitate. A genus <strong>of</strong> 1000 species, distributed throughout <strong>the</strong> tropics <strong>and</strong> subtropics.<br />

1. Peperomia rotundifolia (L.) Kunth in Humb.<br />

Bonpl. & Kunth, Nov. Gen. Sp. (quarto ed.)<br />

1: 65. 1815.<br />

Fig. 139. A-D<br />

BASIONYM: Piper rotundifolium L.<br />

Yerba de ratón, Yerba linda, Yerba de medio<br />

real, Bejuco de alcanfor<br />

Epiphytic herb, ascending by means <strong>of</strong> small<br />

aerial roots, attainig 1-3 m in length. Stems<br />

cylindrical, brittle, pubescent, ca. 1 mm in<br />

diameter, with numerous lateral branchlets.<br />

Leaves alternate, fleshy when fresh, aromatic,<br />

membranaceous on drying, 5-11 mm long,<br />

elliptical, obovate, or almost circular, <strong>the</strong> apex

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