Common name: Giant Pepper Vine
Piper hederaceum var. hederaceum (Miq.) C.DC. APNI* Synonyms: Piper novae-hollandiae Miq. APNI*
Piper paramattense C.DC. APNI*
Description: Large glabrous climber, climbing on tree trunks by small adventitious roots; branches up to 30 cm diam., the stems jointed and enlarged at nodes, with encircling scars from expanded base of fallen stipules.
Leaves 6–12 cm long, 2–9 cm wide, ovate with rounded or acute base on exposed 'sun leaves', to broad-ovate with cordate base on 'shade leaves'; lamina glabrous, upper surface dark green and glossy, venation pinnate to palmate; petiole 10–30 mm long.
Inflorescences leaf-opposed. Flowers unisexual. Male spikes cylindrical, 10–20 mm long, stamens 2 or 3 per flower. Female spikes ovoid, 8–10 mm long.
Drupes c. 5 mm long, ovoid, borne on the inflorescence axis.
Distribution and occurrence: widespread in warmer coastal rainforest, north from Mt Dromedary.
NSW subdivisions: NC, CC, SC, NT
Other Australian states: Qld
Text by G.J. Harden, Fl. NSW Vol. 1 (1990), as Miq.; updated March 2017
Taxon concept: Australian Plant Census (accessed March 2017)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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