Home
Acanthaceae
Alismataceae
Amaranthaceae
Amaryllidaceae
Annonaceae
Apiaceae
Apocynaceae
Araceae
Araucariaceae
Arecaceae
Asteraceae
Asclepiadaceae
Bignoniaceae
Boraginaceae
Brassicaceae
Bromeliaceae
Cactaceae
Campanulaceae
Caryophyllaceae
Casuarinaceae
Celastraceae
Clusiaceae
Combretaceae
Commelinaceae
Convolvulaceae
Crassulaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Cyperaceae
Ericaceae
Euphorbiaceae
Fabaceae
Fagaceae
Iridaceae
Lamiaceae
Lauraceae
Liliaceae
Lythraceae
Magnoliaceae
Malpighiaceae
Malvaceae
Melastomataceae
Moraceae
Myrsinaceae
Myrtaceae
Nyctaginaceae
Nymphaceae
Oleaceae
Orchidaceae
Oxalidaceae
Papaveraceae
Piperaceae
Plantaginaceae
Poaceae
Polygonaceae
Portulaceae
Proteaceae
Ranunculaceae
Rhamnaceae
Rosaceae
Rubiaceae
Rutaceae
Sapindaceae
Sapotaceae
Solanaceae
Urticaceae
Verbenaceae
Violaceae
Zingiberaceae
Piperaceae:
This family contains some of the most important spice plants in the world. Of the 1,400 to 2,000 species in ten genera, the most recognizable species is the plant we get pepper from (Piper nigrum). Another well known species, particularly in the pacific is the Kava plant (Piper mythisticum). Kava plants do not produce fertile seeds, however, and are only spread by stem cuttings. The kavalactones that come from the plant are muscle relaxants and thus, the plant is considered a psychotropic plant.
Systematics:
Most plants in this family are easily identified by the presence of a long rat-tailed flowering structure. These inflorescences are composed of many small individual flowers with peltate bracts surrounding usually 2 stamen and one pistil.
Its known as a "non-monocot paleoherb" because of its unique taxonomy.
Specimens List
 |
The pepper seeds come from a long 'spike', the infloresence (flower stalk) of this vine. |
 |
|
 |
Kava (Piper mythisticum) Kava is a psychoactive drug plant from the South Pacific Islands. It is legal in the U.S. |
 |
Radiator Plants (Peperomia spp) Over 1,000 of these plants in the gensu, they are common foliage plants. |
Links to more information
