Piper caducibracteum (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Piper caducibracteum C. DC.

Family: Piperaceae

Vernacular names

• Indonesia: amelaun albar (Ambon), sirih kandati, sirih utan (Moluccas).

Distribution

Indonesia (Moluccas).

Uses

The fresh or dried bark, the petioles and the young leaves can be used as a substitute for the leaf of Piper betle L.

Observations

A dioecious, woody, straggling shrub with glabrous stems about 2 cm thick. Leaves arranged spirally; petiole up to 1 cm long, sheathing at base; blade ovate-elliptical, up to 18 cm × 8 cm, palmately 5-9-veined, base slightly unequal, apex acutely acuminate. Flowers sessile in solitary spikes up to 4.5 cm long; peduncle as long as or slightly longer than the petiole; rachis of male and female spikes hirsute, with peltate, deciduous bracts about 1 mm long; male flower with 2 stamens. Fruit a berry, obovoid, about 1.5 mm long, glabrous, dark brown to black. P. caducibracteum is locally common, straggling over other shrubs.

Selected sources

30, 45.

Authors

M.S.M. Sosef