Peperomia purpurinodis

The type specimen were collected near Namosi, Fiji.^[4]

Peperomia purpurinodis is a small, herbaceous epiphyte, growing up to 15 cm tall and branching from the base. Its stems have swollen nodes that are a deep purple color, a distinctive feature noted in living plants. The stems and nodes are densely covered in very short (0.25 mm), stiff, erect hairs. The alternate leaves are elliptic to elliptic-subobovate, measuring 4–7 cm long and 1.5–3 cm wide. The leaf tip is attenuate and acute (though lower leaves may be more rounded), and the base is acute to wedge-shaped. Both leaf surfaces are hirtellous, and the blade is notably dotted with prominent orange-red glandular dots. The margins are ciliolate, at least toward the tip. The leaves are palmately 7–9-nerved and dry to a rather firm, subtransparent texture with a narrowly revolute margin. The petiole is about 5 mm long and hirtellous. The spikes are 2–5 cm long, either solitary or arranged in small, paniculate clusters of 2 or 3 in the leaf axils. The peduncle is 3–5 mm long and slightly hirtellous, and both the peduncle and the rachis are dotted with glands. The floral bracts are round-peltate, and the drupes are about 0.75 mm long, turbinate to subglobose, with an apical stigma.^[4]

This species is set apart by its small stature, distinctly swollen purple nodes, and leaves that are palmately 7–9-nerved and covered in prominent orange-red glandular dots. While its dense, short indument resembles that of P. parhamii, it differs markedly in the size, shape, and higher nerve count of its leaves.^[4]

It was described in 1956 by Truman G. Yuncker in Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club 83 [es], from specimens collected by Albert Charles Smith.^[5] It got its name from description of the species.^[4]