Pepper elder (Peperomia pellucida)

Pepper elder (Peperomia pellucida) is a species of plant in the Piperaceae, annual herb, shallow roots, succulent stems, cylindrical, bright green or reddish, glossy, up to 15-45 cm tall, grows in shady places on the forest floor and cliffs. P. pellucida has heart-shaped leaves, fleshy, flat margins, green and glossy upper side, pale underside and radial veins. Fruit in panicles with long spike-like stalks, erect. The fruit is round like a point, green and turns black. Flowering all year round, this plant is found in a variety of shady and humid habitats.





The species grows in clumps in loose, moist soil and tropical to subtropical climates. Rainfall up to 3000 mm/year, elevation 50-1200 meters, andosol and latosol soil with organic matter content up to 5% and no shade.

Plants contain calcium oxalate, essential oils, alkaloids, flavonoids, glycosides, phenols, saponins, steroids, terpenoids, tannins, patuloside A, dillapiole, inulin, terpenes, phytosterols.

All parts are edible. Often used as an analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antibiotic, to treat stomach pain, swelling, acne, colic, aches, headaches, urinary disorders, joint pain due to rheumatism, gout and treat urinary disorders.

TAXON

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Piperales
Family: Piperaceae
Genus: Peperomia Ruiz & Pav. in Fl. Peruv. Prodr.: 8 (1794)
Subgenus: Peperomia
Species: Peperomia pellucida (L.) Kunth in F.W.H.von Humboldt, A.J.A.Bonpland & C.S.Kunth, Nov. Gen. Sp. 1: 64 (1816)
Variety: Peperomia pellucida var. argentina Yunck., Peperomia pellucida var. pellucida

HOMOTYPIC SYNONYMS

Micropiper pellucidum (L.) Miq. in Comm. Phytogr.: 54 (1840)
Piper pellucidum L. in Sp. Pl.: 30 (1753)

PUBLICATIONS

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Correa A., Mireya D. Galdames, Carmen Correa A., M. D., C. Galdames & M. S. de Stapf (2004). Catálogo de las Plantas Vasculares de Panamá: 1-599. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute.

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Flora of North America Editorial Committee (1997). Flora of North America North of Mexico 3: 1-590. Oxford University Press, New York, Oxford.

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Jørgensen, P.M. & León-Yánez, S. (eds.) (1999). Catalogue of the Vascular Plants of Ecuador. Monographs in Systematic Botany from the Missouri Botanical Garden 75: i-viii, 1-1181. Missouri Botanical Garden.

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Newman, M., Ketphanh, S., Svengsuksa, B., Thomas, P., Sengdala, K., Lamxay, V. & Armstrong, K. (2007). A checklist of the vascular plants of Lao PDR: 1-394. Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh.

Pandey, R.P. (2009). Floristic diversity of Ferrargunj forest area in South Andaman. Journal of Economic and Taxonomic Botany 33: 747-768.

Pasha, M.K. & Uddin, S.B. (2013). Dictionary of plant names of Bangladesh, Vasc. Pl.: 1-434. Janokalyan Prokashani, Chittagong, Bangladesh.

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Prakash, L. & Balasubramanian, P. (2018). Invasive alien flora of Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve in Southern Eastern Ghats, India. Indian Forester 144: 857-862.

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VERNACULAR NAME

Assamese: Diya thippili, Ponounuwa
Belauan: Rtertiil
Bengali: লুচি পাতা Luchi pata
Bikol: Sinaw-sinaw, Tangon-tangon
Bisaya: Olasiman ihalas
Brazil: Coraçãozinho, Língua-de-sapo, Erva-de-vidro, Erva-de-jabuti
Burmese: နာသမီကွန်း Nathamee koon
Chavacano: Clavo-clavo
Chinese (simplified): 草胡椒
Chinese (traditional): 草胡椒
Cuba: Corazón de hombre
Dominica: Zèb kouwès
English: Pepper elder, Clearweed, Shining bush plant, Man to man
Filipino: Pansit-pansitan, Ulasiman-bato, Olasiman-ihalas, Tangon-tangon
French: Herbe couresse
Hindi: लुची पता Luchee pata
Iloco: lin-linnaaw
Indonesian: Tumpang air, Suruhan, Sirih cina
Japanese: ウスバスナゴショウ - イシガキコショウ
Java: Suruham, Suruh-suruhan, Rangu-rangu, Sladanan
Kannada: Neeru kaddi gida
Khmer: តែក្រសាំង Krasang teap
Lao: ຊາກະສັງ
Malayalam: Mashitandu chedi, Mashithandu, Kannadippacha, Mashipatcha, Make-pacha, Slettipacha, Thaklippan
Malaysia: Ketumpangan, Rangu-rangu, ketumpangan, Tumpang angin
Melayu: Ketumpangan air
Mon: Sagar bataing
Nepali: लाटापेट Latapate
Nigeria: Rinrin
Oriya: Burshavo
Palauan: Rtertiil
Portuguese: Erva-de-jabuti, Alfavaquinha-de-cobra
Puerto Rico: Prenetaria
Sanskrit: Toyakandha, Varshabhoo
Sinhala: ලුචි පාටා Luci pāṭā
Spanish: Corrimiento
Sunda: Saladaan, Sasaladaan
Suriname: Konsaka wiwiri
Swedish: Ogräspeperomia
Tagalog: Ulasimang-bato
Tamil: லுச்சி பாட்டா Lucci pāṭṭā
Ternate: Gofu goroho
Thai: ผักกระสัง - ชาครุต - ผักหักกล้วย Phak krasang, Chaa kruut, Phak haak kluai
Vietnamese: Rau càng cua
Yoruba Nigeria: Ewe rinrin

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