''Peperomia'' is one of the two large

genera Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family as used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In binomial nomenclature, the genus name forms the first part of the binomial s ...

of the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Piperaceae The Piperaceae (), also known as the pepper family, are a large family (biology), family of flowering plants. The group contains roughly 3,600 currently accepted species in five genera. The vast majority of species can be found within the two mai ...

. It is estimated that there are at least over 1,000

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

, occurring in all

tropical The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the equator, where the sun may shine directly overhead. This contrasts with the temperate or polar regions of Earth, where the Sun can never be directly overhead. This is because of Earth's ax ...

and

subtropical The subtropical zones or subtropics are geographical zone, geographical and Köppen climate classification, climate zones immediately to the Northern Hemisphere, north and Southern Hemisphere, south of the tropics. Geographically part of the Ge ...

regions of the world. They are concentrated in

South South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both west and east. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþa ...

and

Central America Central America is a subregion of North America. Its political boundaries are defined as bordering Mexico to the north, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest. Central America is usually ...

, but may also be found in southern

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...

, the

Caribbean The Caribbean ( , ; ; ; ) is a region in the middle of the Americas centered around the Caribbean Sea in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, mostly overlapping with the West Indies. Bordered by North America to the north, Central America ...

islands,

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...

Oceania Oceania ( , ) is a region, geographical region including Australasia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Outside of the English-speaking world, Oceania is generally considered a continent, while Mainland Australia is regarded as its co ...

, and southern and eastern parts of

Asia Asia ( , ) is the largest continent in the world by both land area and population. It covers an area of more than 44 million square kilometres, about 30% of Earth's total land area and 8% of Earth's total surface area. The continent, which ...

. The exact number of species is difficult to determine, as some plants have been recorded several times with different names, and new species continue to be discovered. Peperomias have adapted to many different environments and their appearances vary greatly. Some are

epiphyte An epiphyte is a plant or plant-like organism that grows on the surface of another plant and derives its moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, water (in marine environments) or from debris accumulating around it. The plants on which epiphyt ...

s (growing on other plants) or

lithophyte Lithophytes are plants that grow in or on rocks. They can be classified as either epilithic (or epipetric) or endolithic; epilithic lithophytes grow on the surfaces of rocks, while endolithic lithophytes grow in the crevices of rocks (and are als ...

s (growing on rock or in rock crevices), and many are

xerophyte A xerophyte () is a species of plant that has adaptations to survive in an environment with little liquid water. Examples of xerophytes include cacti, pineapple and some gymnosperm plants. The morphology and physiology of xerophytes are adapted to ...

s (drought-tolerant, with thick

succulent In botany, succulent plants, also known as succulents, are plants with parts that are thickened, fleshy, and engorged, usually to retain water in arid climates or soil conditions. The word ''succulent'' comes from the Latin word ''sucus'', meani ...

structures to save water) or possess underground tubers (

geophyte A storage organ is a part of a plant specifically modified for storage of energy (generally in the form of carbohydrates) or water. Storage organs often grow underground, where they are better protected from attack by herbivores. Plants that have ...

s). Most species are compact

perennial In horticulture, the term perennial ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the year") is used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. It has thus been defined as a plant that lives more than 2 years. The term is also ...

shrubs or vines. Some Peperomias have thick, waxy, succulent leaves and stems; still, others are rather delicate, with paper-thin leaves. Many species will easily sunburn, preferring filtered or indirect, bright sunlight. Most of the Peperomias have minimal to virtually non-existent root systems (species-depending), with the entire mass often being nothing more than a collection of tiny, hair-like appendages used to anchor the plant. These roots, while delicate, also enable the plants to survive in less-than-ideal conditions; however, their fragility also places them at a greater risk for

root rot Root rot is a condition in which anoxic conditions in the soil or potting media around the roots of a plant cause them to rot. This occurs due to excessive standing water around the roots.-Hydroponics Root Rot: What is It, How To Treat It, How ...

if water does not drain sufficiently quickly. The genus name ''Peperomia'' was coined by Spanish botanists Ruiz López and Pavón Jiménez in 1794 after their travels in

Peru Peru, officially the Republic of Peru, is a country in western South America. It is bordered in the north by Ecuador and Colombia, in the east by Brazil, in the southeast by Bolivia, in the south by Chile, and in the south and west by the Pac ...

and

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica, stretching along a narrow strip of land between the Andes, Andes Mountains and the Paci ...

. ''Peperomia'' plants do not have a widely- accepted common name, and some argue that it is better to use the genus name, as is the case with genera such as ''

Petunia ''Petunia'' is a genus of 20 species of flowering plants of South American origin. The popular flower of the same name derived its epithet from the French, which took the word , 'tobacco', from a Tupi–Guarani language. A tender perennial plan ...

'' and ''

Begonia ''Begonia'' is a genus of perennial flowering plants in the family Begoniaceae. The genus contains more than 2,000 different plant species. The Begonias are native to moist subtropical and tropical climates. Some species are commonly grown ...

''. They are sometimes called radiator plants, a name possibly coined by L.H. Bailey because many of them enjoy bright and dry environments similar to a windowsill above a radiator. Furthermore, many individuals simply refer to the many Peperomias by their individual nicknames, such as '' Peperomia polybotrya'' being called the “Raindrop Peperomia” (due to its large, drop-shaped leaves), or '' P. argyreia'' being the “Watermelon Peperomia”, due to its leaf veining and shape resembling the look of a

watermelon The watermelon (''Citrullus lanatus'') is a species of flowering plant in the family Cucurbitaceae, that has a large, edible fruit. It is a Glossary of botanical terms#scandent, scrambling and trailing vine-like plant, and is plant breeding ...

Description

Peperomias vary considerably in appearance (see gallery below) and there is no universally accepted method of categorising them, although three main groups can be distinguished. Most species are compact and usually do not exceed in height. First are plants with decorative foliage, which often grow in rain or cloud forests as

s. They are adapted to living in small shady crevices on, for example, trees, with small root systems. As they do not have access to ground water they are typically

to a certain degree, which in many species shows as thick, fleshy leaves which have a waxy surface and are sometimes rippled. The leaves may be oval with the leafstalk at or near the center of the leaf blade, or they may be heart-shaped or lance-shaped; their size varies from long. They may be green or striped, marbled or bordered with pale green, red or gray, and the petioles of some kinds are red. They also enjoy high air humidity, warm temperatures, and grow all year round. Examples include '' P. argyreia'', '' P. caperata'', '' P. nitida'', '' P. obtusifolia'', '' P. polybotrya'', and '' P. scandens''. The second group consists of more arid-climate, succulent peperomias, which are often found in higher altitudes. They are adapted to withstanding a long warm season followed by a colder winter and very little rainfall. They store water both in their stout stems and in their succulent leaves, which typically form a sort of “tube” or “burrito”, appearing U- or V-shaped in cross-section, often with

epidermal window Leaf window, also known as epidermal window, and fenestration, is a specialized leaf structure consisting of a translucent area through which light can enter the interior surfaces of the leaf where photosynthesis can occur. The translucent struct ...

s on the top-side. '' P. columella'', '' P. ferreyrae'', '' P. graveolens'' and '' P. nivalis'' fall into this category. The third group contains

geophytic A storage organ is a part of a plant specifically modified for storage of energy (generally in the form of carbohydrates) or water. Storage organs often grow underground, where they are better protected from attack by herbivores. Plants that have ...

peperomias. These plants have leaves that fall off in the colder dry season, survive due to their underground tubers, and grow the leaves back as more rain falls. Examples include '' P. macrorhiza'', '' P. peruviana'', and '' P. umbilicata''. Currently just under 50 species of geophytic peperomias are known, but new ones continue to be discovered. Peperomia flowers are typically unnoticeable, growing in cordlike spikes, although there are some exceptions such as '' P. fraseri''. Most peperomia flowers seem odorless to humans but some carry a musty or even unpleasant odor, such as '' P. graveolens''. The fruit is a berry that eventually dries out and shows the tiny pepper-like seed.

Species

There are over a thousand Peperomia species, although the exact number is unclear as some plants have been recorded several times with different names (c. 3,000 names have been used in publications) and new species continue to be discovered. At the moment

Catalogue of Life The Catalogue of Life (CoL) is an online database that provides an index of known species of animals, plants, fungi, and microorganisms. It was created in 2001 as a partnership between the global Species 2000 and the American Integrated Taxono ...

lists around 1,400 recognized species.

Distribution

Peperomias are found in

and

sub-tropical The subtropical zones or subtropics are geographical and climate zones immediately to the north and south of the tropics. Geographically part of the temperate zones of both hemispheres, they cover the middle latitudes from to approximately 3 ...

regions around the world. Northern

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a considerably smaller portion in the Northern Hemisphere. It can also be described as the southern Subregion#Americas, subregion o ...

and

host the largest number of species, but peperomias can also be found in

, southern

, and

. The exact number of peperomia species continues to change as new plants are discovered and some distinct plant names, perhaps catalogued in separate geographical regions, are realised to describe the same species. Therefore, the table below gives only a rough overall impression of the worldwide distribution. Note that many peperomias are found in wide overlapping regions, for example everywhere in tropical America or Asia, and so may have not been included in the species count for individual areas.

Peperomias and humans

Horticulture

Peperomias are often grown for their ornamental

foliage A leaf (: leaves) is a principal appendage of the stem of a vascular plant, usually borne laterally above ground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, stem, f ...

and many species are considered easy to grow in homes and

greenhouse A greenhouse is a structure that is designed to regulate the temperature and humidity of the environment inside. There are different types of greenhouses, but they all have large areas covered with transparent materials that let sunlight pass an ...

s. Several species have been given the

Award of Garden Merit The Award of Garden Merit (AGM) is a long-established award for plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is based on assessment of the plants' performance under UK growing conditions. It includes the full range of cultivated p ...

by the

Royal Horticultural Society The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity. The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr ...

. Peperomias are considered non-toxic and are recommended for households with children or animals. Out of the 1,000+ ''Peperomia'' species, currently only about 40 of them are commonly used as

houseplant A houseplant, also known as a pot plant, potted plant, or indoor plant, is an ornamental plant cultivated indoors. for aesthetic or practical purposes. These plants are commonly found in House, homes, Office, offices, and various indoor spaces, w ...

s. These peperomias fare well in average home conditions and can relatively easily be found in stores and garden centers. Species in this basic group include '' P. alata'', '' P. albovittata'', '' P. argyreia'', '' P. blanda'', '' P. boivinii'', '' P. caperata'', '' P. clusiifolia'', '' P. columella'', '' P. dolabriformis'', '' P. ferreyrae'', '' P. fraseri'', '' P. glabella'', '' P. graveolens'', '' P. griseoargentea'', '' P. hoffmannii'', '' P. incana'', '' P. japonica'', '' P. kimnachii'', '' P. maculosa'', '' P. metallica'', '' P. nitida'' (often sold as ''P. scandens''), '' P. nivalis'', '' P. obtusifolia'', '' P. pellucida'', '' P. perciliata'', '' P. pereskiifolia'', '' P. polybotrya'', '' P. prostrata'', '' P. quadrangularis'' (syn. ''P. angulata''), '' P. rotundifolia'', '' P. rugosa'', '' P. tetragona'' (syn. ''P. puteolata''), '' P. tetraphylla'', '' P. turboensis'', '' P. urocarpa'', '' P. verschaffeltii'', '' P. verticillata'' (syn. ''P. rubella''), and '' P. wheeleri''. There can be, however, several cultivars available from each species. Identifying species can be challenging as plants are often sold under marketing names, older synonyms, or under names that have not been officially accepted. This is the case, for example, with '' Peperomia orba'' (often sold as ''Peperomia'' 'Pixie'), ''Peperomia viridis'', and ''Peperomia axillaris''. In addition to natural species and their cultivars, some artificial hybrid varieties can also be found on the market, such as ''Peperomia'' 'Hope' (a cross between '' P. deppeana'' and '' P. quadrifolia''). Most species need airy, well-draining substrate and want to dry out to some extent or even completely between waterings. A typical reason for losing a peperomia is through root rot caused by over-watering. The tropical, decorative foliage plants, typically enjoy shadier conditions with more humidity. Some might even require a

terrarium A terrarium ( terraria or terrariums) is a glass container containing soil and plants in an environment different from the surroundings. It is usually a sealable container that can be opened for maintenance or to access the plants inside; howeve ...

or a

bottle garden A bottle garden is a type of closed terrarium in which plants are grown. They usually consist of a plastic bottle, plastic or glass bottle with a narrow neck and a small opening. Plants are grown inside the bottle with little or no exposure to the ...

to maintain high humidity. The arid climate succulent types should be treated similarly to

cacti A cactus (: cacti, cactuses, or less commonly, cactus) is a member of the plant family Cactaceae (), a family of the order Caryophyllales comprising about 127 genera with some 1,750 known species. The word ''cactus'' derives, through Latin, ...

and other

succulents In botany, succulent plants, also known as succulents, are plants with parts that are thickened, fleshy, and engorged, usually to retain water in arid climates or soil conditions. The word ''succulent'' comes from the Latin word ''sucus'', meanin ...

: they can tolerate more light and will survive a dry cold period, during which they are watered only seldomly. The geophytic peperomias are used to experiencing a cold resting period once a year.

Food and medicine

Many peperomias are

herb Herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicinal purposes, or for fragrances. Culinary use typically distingu ...

s in the sense that their leaves carry a spicy flavour and, when crushed, emit a strong odour. Therefore, some species, such as '' Peperomia pellucida'' are used in salads and cooking, or to flavour drinks. But it is advised that people should not try to eat the peperomias sold as houseplants. Some species, including '' Peperomia inaequalifolia','' '' Peperomia congona'' and ''Peperomia pellucida'', are also used in

herbal medicine Herbal medicine (also called herbalism, phytomedicine or phytotherapy) is the study of pharmacognosy and the use of medicinal plants, which are a basis of traditional medicine. Scientific evidence for the effectiveness of many herbal treatments ...

for various health conditions. While such

folk medicine Traditional medicine (also known as indigenous medicine or folk medicine) refers to the knowledge, skills, and practices rooted in the cultural beliefs of various societies, especially Indigenous groups, used for maintaining health and treatin ...

usage is common in Peru and elsewhere, the possible medicinal qualities of peperomias remain poorly investigated, although there has been a growing interest for the subject recently.

Propagation

These plants can be propagated by

seed In botany, a seed is a plant structure containing an embryo and stored nutrients in a protective coat called a ''testa''. More generally, the term "seed" means anything that can be Sowing, sown, which may include seed and husk or tuber. Seeds ...

s, by cuttings, or by dividing. ''Peperomia'' cuttings of many species root easily. Cuttings should be taken in spring or summer, with the lower leaves removed and a cut made just below a node. The cuttings are left to dry for about an hour to allow a protective callus tissue to form, preventing rot. Once dried, they can be planted in a well-draining substrate such as perlite or peat moss. Semi-succulent species benefit from bottom heat around 21–24°C (70–75°F), but it is important not to seal the top completely, as excessive humidity can be detrimental. Once roots have formed, the cuttings can be transplanted into 75 mm (3 in) pots or hanging baskets. Peperomia plants can also be propagated by division, especially clumping species. Division involves separating the plant into smaller sections, each with roots attached, and is best done during repotting in the growing season. Seed propagation is less common due to slower germination but can be achieved by sowing seeds in a well-draining, sterile medium while maintaining warm, humid conditions. Maintaining warm temperatures (18–24°C) and moderate humidity is essential for successful propagation. Overwatering should be avoided, as Pepperonis are prone to root rot in poorly draining soils.

Gallery

Examples of tropical, decorative foliage types

Image:Peperomia argyreia.jpg, '' Peperomia argyreia'', "watermelon peperomia" Image:Peperomia griseoargentea.jpg, '' Peperomia griseoargentea'' Image:Peperomia nitida 'Variegata'.jpg, '' Peperomia nitida'' "variegata" Image:Peperomia maculosa kz3.jpg, '' Peperomia maculosa'' Image:Inflorescence_Peperomia_obtusifolia.JPG, '' Peperomia obtusifolia'' leaf and flower spike Image:Peperomia prostrata.jpg, '' Peperomia prostrata'', "string of turtles" Image:Peperomia rotundifolia var. rotundifolia kz02.jpg, '' Peperomia rotundifolia'' growing on a tree Image:Peperomia serpens 2011-01-17.jpg, '' Peperomia serpens'' Image:Peperomia tetraphylla00.jpg, '' Peperomia tetraphylla'' with flower spike

Examples of arid climate succulent types

Image:Peperomia columella 01.jpg, '' Peperomia columella'' Image:Peperomia dolabriformis.jpg, '' Peperomia dolabriformis'' Image:Peperomia graveolens - Botanischer Garten Bonn.jpg, '' Peperomia graveolens'' Image:Peperomia nivalis crassa.jpg, '' Peperomia nivalis''

Examples of geophytic peperomias

Image:Peperomia bracteata.jpg, '' Peperomia bracteata'' Image:Peperomia monticola.jpg, '' Peperomia monticola''

References

External links

Internet Peperomia Reference
by botanist Guido Mathieu * Examples o
geophytic Peperomias
{{Authority control Epiphytes House plants Piperales genera Tropical flora Pantropical flora Taxa named by José Antonio Pavón Jiménez Taxa named by Hipólito Ruiz López