Piperaceae

Pepper Family

By: George Rogers

A worldwide family of 10 genera and 1500-2000 species (SMI) mostly in the tropics. They range from herbs to small trees. Leaves usually alternate, entire.  Inflorescences dense, narrow spikes resembling a rat’s tail.  This is the family of black pepper and of the peperomias used in horticulture as groundcovers and as potted plants.   Several species grow wild in Florida, some of them native, others escaped from cultivation.

Plants listed in the manual include:

Peperomia obtusifolia