Flora of New Zealand Series

Piper excelsum Forst. f. Prodr. 1786, 5.

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.

DIST.: Lowland forest: N., S. to Banks Peninsula and Okarito.

FL. and FT. in all seasons. Also Chatham Is. Kawakawa, Pepper tree.