938

Piper nigrum L.

Family	:	Piperaceae
Local name	:	English -Black pepper Malayalam-Kurumulaku,
Flowering and fruiting period	:	July-March
Distribution	:	Peninsular India and Sri Lanka, cultivated elsewhere
Distribution in Kerala	:	All Districts
Habitat	:	Evergreen and semi-evergreen forests, also cultivated
Uses	:	This hotly pungent spice is one of the earliest known and most widely used spices in the world today. It is used as flavouring, particularly for savoury foods, meat dishes, sauces and snack foods. It is also used as a table condiment.
Key botanical characters : Glabrous climbers. Leaves simple, alternate, to 16 x 10 cm, ovate, acuminate at apex, acute, rounded or truncate at base, 7-nerved, nervules subparallel; petiole to 2.5 cm long. Spikes to 12 cm long, slender; peduncles to 2.5 cm long; bracts united forming a cup below the flower. Flowers closely placed; stamens 2. Drupes 5 mm across, globose, smooth, deep red; stigmas 3-5, recurved.