Piperaceae FAMILY

Piper auritum

Edibility

2/5

Medicinal

0/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Botanical Description

Piper auritum is a large, coarse, somewhat succulent, sparsely branched perennial plant growing around 2 metres tall[ 331 Title Flora of Guatemala Publication Author Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark Website http://www.archive.org/ Publisher Year 1946 - 1976 ISBN Description A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/ ]. Rarely, the plant becomes woody below and more tree-like in habit, growing up to 6 metres tall. The plant is sometimes gathered from the wild for its leaves, which are used as a flavouring in foods.

Habitat & Origin

Origintropical

Native RangeWestern S. America, north to Mexico.

HabitatMoist or wet thickets or forest, often in second growth, at elevations up to 1,800 metres, but usually below 900 metres[ 331 Title Flora of Guatemala Publication Author Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark Website http://www.archive.org/ Publisher Year 1946 - 1976 ISBN Description A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/ ]. Often forms dense thickets in abandoned land, partly on account of the great abundance of seeds produced[ 331 Title Flora of Guatemala Publication Author Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark Website http://www.archive.org/ Publisher Year 1946 - 1976 ISBN Description A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/ ].