Wild Pepper

This species is sometimes placed in the genus Pothomorphe on the basis of the distinctive inflorescence.

Subshrubs erect, 1-2 m high. Stems thick, strong, striated. Petiole 15-25 cm, glabrous or ± hispidulous; leaf blade ovate or suborbicular, 17-37 × 15-32 cm, membranous, densely brown glandular, glabrous, or hispidulous along veins, base deeply cordate, ± bilaterally symmetric, apex mucronate or obtuse; veins 11-13, apical pair arising 1-2 cm above base, ± opposite, others basal. Flowers bisexual. Spikes (1-)2-7 in umbel-like clusters on short, axillary branches. Spikes 2-7 per umbel, 7-12 cm; peduncle of umbels thicker and longer than those of spikes; bracts triangular, ca. 1 × 0.5 mm, peltate, stalked, margin ciliate. Anthers much longer than filaments. Drupe obovoid or cuneate-obovoid, 0.7-1 × circa 0.5 mm, glandular. Fl. Nov

C and S Taiwan [Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam; Africa, tropical and subtropical North and South America].

Wet places within forests; ca. 300 m.

Heckeria subpeltatum (Willdenow) Kunth; Lepianthes umbellatum (Linnaeus) Rafinesque ex Ramamoorthy; Piper postelsianum Maximowicz; P. subpeltatum Willdenow; P. umbellatum var. subpeltatum (Willdenow) C. de Candolle; Pothomorphe subpeltata (Willdenow) Miquel; P. umbellatum (Linnaeus) Miquel.