Peperomia pellucida

(Linnaeus) Kunth

in A. von Humboldt et al., Nov. Gen. Sp. 1: 64. 1816.

Illustrated
Basionym: Piper pellucidum Linnaeus Sp. Pl. 1: 30. 1753
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 3.

Herbs, annual or short-lived perennial, erect or decumbent, freely branched, 10-50 cm, glabrous, without black, glandular dots. Leaves alternate; petiole ca. 1/2 length of blade, glabrous. Leaf blade palmately 5-7-veined, broadly ovate to deltate, 0.6-4 × 0.5-3 cm, base truncate, rounded, or cordate, apex acute to slightly acuminate; surfaces glabrous. Spikes axillary, terminal, and opposite leaves, solitary, rarely 2-more, loosely flowered, 2-6 cm, mature fruiting spikes 1-2 mm diam. Fruits sessile, very broadly ovoid to globose, 0.5-0.7 × 0.4-0.5 mm, longitudinally ribbed with ladderlike reticulations; beak minute, conic, ca. 0.1 mm.


Phenology: Flowering all year.
Habitat: In shaded woods and around nurseries and greenhouses, along coastal plain
Elevation: 0-20 m

Distribution

V3 1135-distribution-map.gif

Fla., Ga., La., Mexico, West Indies, Central America, n South America.

Discussion

Peperomia pellucida has shown antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli; it could have potential as a broad spectrum antibiotic (A. C. Bojo et al. 1994).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Peperomia pellucida"
David E. Boufford +
(Linnaeus) Kunth +
Piper pellucidum +
Fla. +, Ga. +, La. +, Mexico +, West Indies +, Central America +  and n South America. +
0-20 m +
In shaded woods and around nurseries and greenhouses, along coastal plain +
Flowering all year. +
in A. von Humboldt et al., Nov. Gen. Sp. +
Illustrated +
Peperomia pellucida +
Peperomia +
species +