Piper wallichii (Miq.) Hand.-Mazz.

There was confusion in the application of this name in FRPS, with the records divided between Piper martinii and P. wallichii. These records have been consolidated within P. wallichii as defined here. Y. C. Tseng believes that material from Emei Shan, Sichuan, with relatively broad, subpalmately veined leaves, should be recognized as a distinct species. M. G. Gilbert and N. H. Xia believe that such material is better regarded as a form that has flowered prematurely on normally sterile climbing stems.

Used medicinally.

Climbers dioecious. Stems black when dry, ridged, usually hispidulous. Petiole 1-2 cm, hispidulous, prophylls 1/4-1/3 as long as petioles; leaf blades ovate-lanceolate or narrowly elliptic, rarely those toward base of stem ovate, 5-14 × 2-6.5 cm, papery, abaxially hispidulous, sometimes glabrescent, drying grayish, adaxially glabrous, base rounded to shortly tapered, basal leaves often slightly cordate, symmetric to slightly oblique, apex acuminate; veins 5-7, apical pair arising 1-1.5 cm above base, alternate or ± opposite, others basal. Spikes leaf-opposed. Male spikes more than 2 × as long as leaf blades; peduncle 2.5-3 × as long as petioles, pubescent; rachis sparsely pubescent; bracts orbicular, 1-1.2 mm wide, peltate, ± sessile. Stamens 3; anthers reniform. Female spikes 1.5-3 cm, to 6 cm in fruit; peduncle 2-4.2 cm, pubescent; rachis and bracts as in male spikes; bract stalk not elongated in fruit, sparsely pubescent. Ovary distinct, apex sharply pointed; stigmas 3 or 4, linear. Drupe subglobose, ca. 3 mm in diam., ± tuberculate. Fl. Feb-Jun.

Himalaya (Nepal to Bhutan), Assam, Burma, W. China.

S Gansu, N Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, SW Hubei, W Hunan, Sichuan, Yunnan [Bangladesh, E India, ?Indonesia, Nepal]

700-2800 m

Forests, on trees and rocks in shady and wet places; 300-2600 m.

Chavica wallichii Miquel, Syst. Piperac. 254. 1843; Piper aurantiacum Wallich ex C. de Candolle, nom. illeg. (included Chavica wallichii); P. aurantiacum var. hupeense C. de Candolle; P. emeiensis Y. C. Tseng; P. henryci C. de Candolle; P. ichangense C. de Candolle; P. martinii C. de Candolle; P. wallichii var. hupeense (C. de Candolle) Handel-Mazzetti.