Peperomia caducifolia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Peperomia caducifolia | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Magnoliids |
| Order: | Piperales |
| Family: | Piperaceae |
| Genus: | Peperomia |
| Species: | P. caducifolia |
| Binomial name | |
| Peperomia caducifolia | |
Peperomia caducifolia is a species of epiphyte in the genus Peperomia that is endemic in Peru.[1][2] It grows on wet tropical biomes.[1] Its conservation status is Threatened.[3]
The type specimen were collected near Carrapa, Peru at an altitude of 3000 meters.[4]
Peperomia caducifolia is a tall, creeping then ascending herb with very fleshy, branching stems that are covered in minute, fine hairs. The leaves are alternate and caducous, falling off readily. Leaves on the sterile branches are small and nearly round, while others are elliptic with a bluntly acuminate tip and a somewhat acute base. These larger leaves are about 3 cm long and 1.5–2 cm wide, with the uppermost ones being smaller. The leaves are 3-nerved and minutely puberulous. The petiole is 5–10 mm long and becomes hairless with age. Several spikes arise from terminal and axillary positions. They appear to emerge from bare nodes that form a short, false peduncle. The spikes are about 30 mm long with loosely inserted flowers and are borne on a 5 mm peduncle. The floral bracts are round-peltate.[4]
Taxonomy and naming
It was described in 1936 by William Trelease in Publications of the Field Museum of Natural History, Botanical Series 13, from specimens collected by Ellsworth Paine Killip & Dorothea Eliza Smith.[5] It got its name from the description of the type specimen. [4]