Piper (plant)

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Piper
Temporal range: Maastrichtian - present[1]
Lacquered pepper (P. magnificum) inflorescence
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Magnoliids
Order: Piperales
Family: Piperaceae
Subfamily: Piperoideae
Genus: Piper
L.
Species

1000–2000; see list

Synonyms
  • Anderssoniopiper Trel.
  • Arctottonia Trel.
  • Artanthe Miq.
  • Chavica Miq.
  • Discipiper Trel. & Stehlé
  • Lepianthes Raf.
  • Lindeniopiper Trel.
  • Macropiper Miq.
  • Ottonia Spreng.
  • Pleiostachyopiper Trel.
  • Pleistachyopiper Trel.
  • Pothomorphe Miq.
  • Trianaeopiper Trel.

Piper, the pepper plants or pepper vines, is an economically and ecologically important genus in the family Piperaceae.

It contains about 1,000–2,000 species of shrubs, herbs, and lianas, many of which are dominant species in their native habitat. The diversification of this taxon is of interest to understanding the evolution of plants.

Pepper plants belong to the

monocots nor eudicots. Their family, Piperaceae, is most closely related to the lizardtail family (Saururaceae), which in fact generally look like smaller, more delicate and amphibious pepper plants. Both families have characteristic tail-shaped inflorescences covered in tiny flowers. A somewhat less close relative is the pipevine family (Aristolochiaceae). A well-known and very close relative – being also part of the Piperaceae – are the radiator plants of the genus Peperomia
.

The

scientific name Piper and the common name "pepper" are derived from the Sanskrit term pippali, denoting the long pepper
(P. longum).

Evolution

The earliest fossil of Piper is of †Piper margaritae from the Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) of Colombia. P. margaritae appears to be nested within the clade Schilleria, indicating extensive Cretaceous diversification of Piper into the multiple extant clades, coinciding with the final breakup of Gondwana. This contrasts with previous theories assuming a younger radiation of the genus. An earlier potential record is of †Piper arcuatile from the Cenomanian to Santonian Kaltag Formation of Yukon, although this affinity to Piper is not entirely reliable.[1][2][3]

Distribution and ecology

Piper species have a

pantropical distribution, and are most commonly found in the understory of lowland tropical forests, but can also occur in clearings and in higher elevation life zones such as cloud forests; one species – the Japanese Pepper (P. kadsura) from southern Japan and southernmost Korea – is subtropical and can tolerate light winter frost
. Peppers are often dominant species where they are found.

Most Piper species are either

Homidiana subpicta or some flea beetles of the genus Lanka. The latter can be significant pests
to pepper growers.

Usages

Many pepper plants make good

pot plants
.

Unsustainable

primary forests is threatening a number of peppers. The extent of the effect of such wholesale habitat destruction on the genus is unknown, but in the forests of Ecuador – the only larger region for which comprehensive data exists[4] – more than a dozen species are known to be on the brink of extinction. On the other hand, other Piper species (e.g. spiked pepper, P. aduncum) have been widely distributed as a result of human activity and are a major invasive species
in certain areas.

The most significant human use of Piper is not for its looks however, but ultimately for the wide range of powerful

secondary compounds
found particularly in the fruits.

As spice and vegetable

For other spices called "pepper", see Pepper (disambiguation).

Culinary use of pepper plants is attested perhaps as early as 9,000 years ago. Peppercorn remains were found among the food refuse left by Hoabinhian artisans at Spirit Cave, Thailand. It is likely that these plants were collected from the wild rather than deliberately grown.[5][6]

Black pepper (Piper nigrum) corns, from left to right:
Green (pickled unripe fruits)
White (dried ripe seeds)
Black (dried unripe fruits)

Use of peppercorns as pungent spice is significant on an international scale. By

P. nigrum) from South Asia to Europe. The Apicius, a recipe collection complied about 400 AD, mentions "pepper" as a spice for most main dishes.[7] In the late Roman Empire, black pepper was expensive, but was available readily enough to be used more frequently than salt[a] or sugar
.

As Europe moved into the

archetypal
being black pepper fruit. Today, peppercorns of the three preparations (green, white and black) are one of the most widely used spices of plant origin worldwide.

Due to the wide distribution of Piper, the fruit of other species are also important spices, many of them internationally.

Cubeb (P. cubeba), also known as tailed pepper, played a major role in the spice trade. Reputedly Philip IV of Spain suppressed trade in cubeb peppercorns at the end of the 1630s to capitalize on his share of the black pepper trade.[8] It remains a significant spice around the Indian Ocean region today, however. West African pepper (P. guineense), is commonly used in West African cuisine, and is sometimes used in the East African berbere
spice mix. This species, despite being traded more extensively in earlier times, is less common outside Africa today.

Not only the seeds of Piper are used in cooking. West African Pepper leaves, known locally as uziza, are used as a flavoring vegetable in

Indochina region, while wild betel (P. sarmentosum) is used raw or cooked as a vegetable in Malay and Thai cuisine;[9][10] The stems and roots of Piper chaba are used as a spice in Bangladeshi cuisine
.

As medicine

At a Kava club in Tonga (c. 2005)

detoxifying
) purposes.

One Piper species has gained large-scale use as a

betel palm nut slices; its sap helps release the stimulating effect of these "cookies" which are widely known as pan in India
.

Conversely, another Piper species,

hepatotoxic effect, which has led to the banning of kava in many countries. On the other hand, the traditional preparation of the root as a calming drink appears to pose little, if any, such hazard.[11][12][needs update
]

In science

The genus contains species suitable for studying

community ecology, and evolutionary biology.[13]

Crystallized piperine, extracted from black pepper (Piper nigrum)

Piper is a model genus for research in ecology and evolutionary biology. The diversity and ecological importance of the genus makes it a strong candidate for ecological and evolutionary studies. Most research has focused on the economically important species P. nigrum (black pepper), P. methysticum (kava), and P. betle (betel). A recent study based on DNA sequence analysis suggest that P. nigrum originated in the Western Ghats hot spot in India.[14]

The obligate and facultative[further explanation needed] ant mutualists found in some Piper species have a strong influence on their biology, making them ideal systems for research on the evolution of symbioses and the effect of mutualisms on biotic communities.[citation needed]

Important secondary metabolites found in pepper plants are piperine and chavicine, which were first isolated from Black Pepper, and reported to have antibiotic activities. Preliminary research reports has shown that piperine has an antibacterial activity against various bacteria such as S. aureus,[15][16] Streptococcus mutans,[17] and gastric cancer pathogen Helicobacter pylori [18] and decreased H. pylori toxin entry to gastric epithelial cells.[19] The piperidine functional group is named after the former, and piperazine (which is not found in P. nigrum in noticeable quantities) was in turn named after piperidine.

The significant secondary metabolites of kava are

hepatotoxic
compound in this plant's stems and leaves.

Repelling insects

Studies have been done to determine the effectiveness of piper leaves to repel different types of insects.[20]

Capuchin monkeys have been recorded by BBC Earth rubbing the piper leaves on them to repel insects.[21]

Species

See also: List of Piper species

The largest number of Piper species are found in the Americas (about 700 species), with about 300 species from Southern Asia. There are smaller groups of species from the South Pacific (about 40 species) and Africa (about 15 species). The American, Asian, and South Pacific groups each appear to be

monophyletic; the affinity of the African species is unclear.[22]

Some species are sometimes segregated into the genera Pothomorphe, Macropiper, Ottonia, Arctottonia, Sarcorhachis, Trianaeopiper, and Zippelia, but other sources keep them in Piper.[22]

The species called "Piper aggregatum" and "P. fasciculatum" are actually Lacistema aggregatum, a plant from the family Lacistemataceae.

Notes

  1. ^ Apicius generally uses garum fish sauce instead; raw brine and large quantities of herbs were also employed by many.

References

  1. ^
    PMID 25667080
    .
  2. ISSN 2330-7102
    .
  3. ^ "Yukok_Koyukuk_2_Geology". clamp.ibcas.ac.cn. Retrieved 2023-06-19.
  4. International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) (2007): 2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Archived 2018-05-08 at the Wayback Machine
    . IUCN, Gland.
  5. S2CID 34052655
    .
  6. JSTOR 124120
    .
  7. ^ Apicius: Cookery and Dining in Imperial Rome. 2009-08-19. Retrieved December 9, 2018. {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
  8. ^ John Parkinson (1640). Theatrum Botanicum: the Theater of Plants. London: T. Cotes.
  9. ^ Charmaine Solomon (1998). "Cha plu". Encyclopedia of Asian Food. Periplus Editions.
  10. ^ "Tropical root crops". Earthcare. 2008. Archived from the original on 19 July 2008. Retrieved 15 July 2008.
  11. PMID 16904878
    .
  12. PMID 17329236
    .
  13. ISBN 978-0-306-48498-8
    .
  14. S2CID 167218493
    .
  15. PMID 16436753
    .
  16. PMID 18334493
    .
  17. PMID 26870681
    .
  18. PMID 25584066
    .
  19. PMID 27158376
    .
  20. PMID 15384353
    .
  21. ^ Monkey Insect Repellent | The Life of Mammals | BBC Earth, retrieved 2023-09-25
  22. ^
    PMID 11302858
    .

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Piper.
Wikispecies has information related to Piper.
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