Piper longum L. from Hooghly

[surajit koley]

Sir,

Internet is very confusing source of info, well, sometimes.

A search for Piper longum L. gives plant pictures of distinctly variable leaf venation, even scanned herbarium images available in the net can be confusing too. Two such example :-

1. http://www.rprcbbsr.com/herbarium/herbarium/images/id/658
   
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_pepper
   

On the other hand, images found some other sites do comply with my species :-

1. http://linnaeus.nrm.se/botany/fbo/p/piper/pipelon.html.en
   
2. http://ww2.bgbm.org/herbarium/view_large.cfm?SpecimenPK=103131&idThumb=313215&SpecimenSequenz=1&loan=1
   

Description and images at :-

1. http://envis.frlht.org/plongum.htm
   
2. http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200005574
   
3. http://www.himalayahealthcare.com/herbfinder/h_piperl.htm
   

Species : Piper longum L.

Bengali Name : PIPUL

Habit & Habitat : wild slender creeper, growing under very dense vegetation of, i think, Mikania micrantha Kunth.

Date : 21/9/12, 4.02 p.m.

Place : Garalgacha (Hooghly)

I am sorry that my camera is a dumb under low light.

Thank you & Regards,

surajit

[Vijayasankar]

Good morning Surajit ji,

This looks like a male plant of Piper longum. The male spikes are about 5 cm long and 3 mm in diameter (female spikes are shorter and stouter). Otherwise it may be a different species.
The picture with leafy plant at wiki page, is not of Piper longum.

 

Regards 

 

Vijayasankar Raman
National Center for Natural Products Research
University of Mississippi

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[surajit koley]

Good morning Vijayasankar Ji,

I thought my species looked somewhat similar to the illustration available at FoC - http://www.efloras.org/object_page.aspx?object_id=1393&flora_id=2, and description available at - http://envis.frlht.org/plongum.htm informs male spike is 2-7 cm long.

Thank you very much for the feedback.

Regards,

surajit