PlantNET Home DONATE TODAY | PlantNET Home | Search NSW Flora | Contact Us  
FloraOnline
Introduction
Plant Name Search
Index Search
Spatial Search
Identification Keys
Classification
Glossary
WeedAlert
Telopea Journal
Other Data Sources
NEW SOUTH WALES FLORA ONLINE Printable Page

Family Peperomiaceae

Synonyms: Peperomiaceae APNI*

Description: Climbers, herbs, subshrubs, shrubs or sometimes small trees, with stems often jointed and enlarged/swollen at the nodes; often succulent (Peperomia); many epiphytic or growing on rocks (Peperomia), often aromatic.

Leaves usually alternate, rarely opposite or whorled, simple, often oil gland-dotted, mostly entire, pinnately or palmately veined, sometimes succulent; [petiole frequently winged and sheathing the stem]; stipules present (often shed early) and adnate to petiole or absent.

Inflorescence axillary, leaf-opposed or terminal, erect to pendulous, usually condensed, raceme or spike, occasionally sparsely branched. Flowers minute, usually sessile or sometimes pedicellate, subtended by a minute, fleshy, often peltate bract, bisexual or unisexual and then plants monoecious. Perianth absent. Stamens 1–10, often with opposite, discrete loculi; anthers 2-locular, free or (in Peperomia) confluent, dehiscing longitudinally. Ovary superior, of 1–4 (–5) fused carpels, usually 1-locular with a basal or subbasal ovule; stigmas 1–several; style short or absent; ovary surrounded by 3 scale-like bracts.

Fruit a berry-like drupe, often sunken into the axis or fused to the bracts; seed 1.


Distribution and occurrence: World: 5 genera, 3615 species, pantrop., chiefly in rainforest. Aust.: 2 genera, c. 20 species (several naturalised), Qld, N.S.W., N.T., W.A., Ch.I.

External links:
Angiosperm Phylogeny Website (Family: Piperaceae, Order: Piperales)
Wikipedia

Text by based on G.J. Harden, Fl. NSW Vol. 1 (1990); updated by P.G. Kodela, March 2017
Taxon concept: Australian Plant Census (accessed March 2017)


  Privacy | Copyright | Disclaimer | About PlantNET | Cite PlantNET