Classification
Class
Magnoliopsida Brongn.
Order
Piperales Bercht. & J.Presl
Family
Piperaceae Giseke
Genus
Piper L.
 Subordinate Taxa
 Nomenclature
Scientific Name:
Piper excelsum G.Forst., Fl. Ins. Austr. 5 (1786)
Synonymy:
  • ≡ Macropiper excelsum (G.Forst.) Miq. (1843)
 Description

Aromatic glab. shrub or tree up to 6m. tall; branches ± zigzag, jointed and swollen at nodes, dark. Lvs opp., on petioles 1–4 cm. long, with adnate stipules; lamina entire, subcoriac., dark to yellowish green, 5–10 × 6–12 cm., broad-ovate to suborbicular, cordate at base, sinus narrow to open; rather abruptly narrowed to obtuse tip; 5–7–(9) sub-palmately nerved. Spikes unisexual, solitary or paired, 2–8 cm. long on peduncles ± 1 cm. long. Fls minute, sessile, very close-set; bract orbicular-peltate; ♂ of 2–(3) stamens, ♀ with 3–(4) stigmas. Drupes very close-set, 2–3 mm. diam., ± angled; exocarp succulent, yellow to orange, broadly obovoid.

[From: Allan (1961) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 1. as Macropiper excelsum (G.Forst.) Miq.]

 Biostatus
Indigenous (Non-endemic)
Number of subspecific taxa in New Zealand within Piper excelsum G.Forst.
CategoryNumber
Indigenous (Endemic)3
Indigenous (Non-endemic)1
Total4
 Phenology

Flowering: Jan.–Dec.; Fruiting: Jan.–Dec.

 Bibliography
Forster, J.G.A. 1786: Florulae Insularum Australium Prodromus. Dietrich, Göttingen.
Jaramillo, M.A.; Callejas, R.; Davidson, C.; Smith, J.F.; Stevens, A.C.; Tepe, E.J. 2008: A phylogeny of the tropical genus Piper using Its and the chloroplast intron psbJ–petA. Systematic Botany 33(4): 647–660.