1187

 Piper ornatum N.E.Br.

Family	:	Piperaceae
Local name	:	English-Ornamental Pepper,
Flowering and fruiting period	:	March-April
Distribution	:	Endemic to Peru, South of America,
Habitat	:	understory of lowland tropical rainforests,
Uses	:	it is used in religious ceremonies and folk medicine.
Key Botanical Character: Slender stems bearing pointed, heart-shaped leaves up to 13cm (5 inch) long and 10cm (4 inch) wide. The leaves have reddish, 2cm (0.8 inch) long leaf-stalks, which are attached not at the end of the leaf, but slightly toward the middle. Leaf surface are puckered. The upper surface is olive green heavily spotted with pinkish silver markings. The pink tinge is almost pronounced wherever a marking occurs near main veins. Leaves undersides are unmarked deep maroon.