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Peperomia leptostachya

Hook. & Arn. (1832)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Magnoliids Order: Piperales Family: Piperaceae Genus: Peperomia

‘ala‘ala wai nui [alaala wai nui]

Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Fleshy herbs.

Stems: Stems green or reddish green, ascending or erect from a repent base, 15–20(–25) cm long, up to 6 mm in diameter toward base, unbranched to few–branched in upper part, internodes (1–)1.5–3(–4) cm long, finely appressed to somewhat spreading hirtellous, the hairs 0.3–0.8 mm long.

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Opposite or sometimes whorled (3 per node). Blades elliptic–obovate to elliptic, sometimes some of them elliptic–ovate, 1.5–4(–6) cm long, 1.2–2(–2.5) cm wide. Apex broadly acute to rounded. Base cuneate, sometimes broadly so. Surfaces finely hirtellous; green; lower surfaces paler, usually easily deciduous, moderately firm–fleshy thin and membranous when dry. Margins flat. Palmately 3– or 5-veined. Petioles 0.5–1 cm long, finely hirtellous. Stipules absent.

Flowers: Flowers in spikes numerous, axillary and terminal, slender, 4.5–13 cm long, sometimes some of them as short as 3 cm long, the rachis ca. 0.5–1 mm in diameter, glabrous, flowers moderately to loosely congested, peduncles 0.5–2 cm long, rarely a few of them up to 2.5 cm long, finely spreading to appressed hirtellous. Flowers bisexual (perfect), perianth absent. Each flower subtended by a peltate bract. Calyx (sepals) absent. Corolla (petals) absent. Stamens 2. Ovary superior, broadly ovoid, 1-carpellate, 1-celled, apex oblique; ovules 1 per cell, orthotropous, erect; stigmas 1–4, subterminal.

Fruit: Fruit broadly obovoid; ca. 0.9–1 mm long; papillose–viscid with sessile glands. Seeds 1 per fruit; with scanty endosperm and copious; starchy perisperm.

Ploidy: 2n = 44*

Habitat: Terrestrial on rocks; ledges; cliffs; and 'a'a lava; rarely epiphytic; in dry to mesic forest; rarely in wet forest.

Elevation Range: 10–610(–1,675) m.

Historical Distribution

Images

Synonyms (34)

Peperomia arabica Decne. ex Miq. (1843)
Peperomia arabica var. floribunda (Decne. ex Miq.) Huber (1843)
Peperomia arabica var. parvifolia C.DC. (1894)
Peperomia baueriana var. brisbaniana C.DC. (1869)
Peperomia bequaertii De Wild. (1920)
Peperomia blanda var. floribunda (Miq.) H.Huber (1988)
Peperomia blanda var. leptostachya (Hook. & Arn.) Düll (1973)
Peperomia brachytrichoides Engl. (1910)
Peperomia caffra E.Mey. ex Miq. (1843)
Peperomia candollei H.St.John (1931)
Peperomia dindygulensis Miq. (1843)
Peperomia dindygulensis var. hirsuta Trimen (1895)
Peperomia esquirolii H.Lév. (1911)
Peperomia heyneana Wight (1853)
Peperomia insularum Miq. (1845)
Peperomia kyimbilana C.DC. (1920)
Peperomia leptostachya f. cambodiana C.DC. (1910)
Peperomia leptostachya f. carnosior C.DC. (1913)
Peperomia leptostachya var. attenuapica Yunck. (1937)
Peperomia leptostachya var. cambodiana (C.DC.) Merr. (1927)
Peperomia leptostachya var. laxiflora Miq. (1866)
Peperomia leptostachya var. macrophylla (Setch.) Yunck. (1937)
Peperomia leptostachya var. marquesensis F.Br. (1935)
Peperomia leptostachya var. nodosa Hillebr. (1888)
Peperomia moerenhoutii C.DC. (1869)
Peperomia moerenhoutii var. macrophylla Setch. (1926)
Peperomia moerenhoutii var. mangarevensis F.Br. (1935)
Peperomia moerenhoutii var. petiolata C.DC. (1869)
Peperomia recurvata var. philippinensis Miq. (1845)
Peperomia sui T.T.Lin & S.Y.Lu (1995)
Peperomia thwaitesii C.DC. (1869)
Peperomia wightiana Wight (1853)
Piper australe A.Cunn. ex Miq. (1845)
Piper ovalifolium B.Heyne (1832)

Uses and Culture

USES

PROPAGATION/CULTIVATION

  • Fresh seeds of Peperomia leptostachya have a high germination rate (80%). They are no longer viable after being stored for 3 months. Complete loss of viability occurs even when seeds are stored at a temperature of 39 degrees F and a humidity of 10%. (Yoshinaga 1997; Yoshinaga 1998)
  • Peperomia leptostachya grows easily from either stem or tip cuttings. The cuttings should be 3 to 4 inches long. The lower leaves and flower spikes should be removed. Trim the upper leaves in half. Plant the cuttings 1/2 inch deep a mix of either 1 part perlite to 1 part peat moss, or a mix of 3 parts cinder to 1 part vermiculite or potting soil. Rooting hormones are not required. Place them in a cool, shady location and keep them moist; it may be necessary to water as often as twice a day. (Bornhorst 1996; NTBG 1992) [Data from Herring, E. C., & Criley, R. A. (2003). The Hawaiian Native Plant Propagation Web Site: Developing a Webbased Information Resource. HortTechnology, 13(3), 545-548. https://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/hawnprop/]

Natural History

Statewide Status

Indigenous

Island Status

Ni'ihau(Incl. Lehua) Indigenous
Kaua'i Indigenous
O'ahu Indigenous
Molokai Indigenous
Lana'i Indigenous
Maui Indigenous
Hawai'i Indigenous

Dispersal Agents


Pollinators

Bibliography

Name Published In: Bot. Beechey Voy.: 96 (1832)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:1029 (Ni, K, O, Mo, L, M, H [as P. leptostachya]); Huber 1987:293/Florence 1997:173/Herbst & Wagner 1999:25 (Syn. P. leptostachya = P. blanda var. floribunda); Mathieu 2020:48 (Syn. P. b. var. floribunda = P. leptostachya); Fosberg 12564 BISH (L†, 1935)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
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