Piper peltatum L., Piperaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Pothomorphe peltata (L.) Miq.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: largeleaf fingertree

Spanish: Santa María, cachimuela, cordoncillo

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Plants erect, rather stout, herbaceous throughout or nearly so, generally about 1.5 meters high, sparsely branched, the stems minutely puberulent or almost wholly glabrous, succulent; leaves large, long-petiolate, the petioles broad, long-vaginate; leaf blades very thin, ovate-orbicular or almost orbicular, mostly 20-30 cm long, sometimes broader than long, abruptly acute at the rounded apex, shallowly cordate at the base or rounded, peltate far above the base, sparsely and minutely puberulent or almost glabrous, deep green above, paler and puncticulate beneath, palmate-nerved from the point of insertion, the principal nerve with usually 2 divergent nerves arising on each side above the base; common peduncle shorter than the petiole, 1-7 cm long, glabrous or sparsely puberulent, bearing 4-10 spikes, these on peduncles 7-12 mm long; spikes pale green, mostly 8-9 cm long, 3.5 mm thick, very obtuse, the bracts puberulent" (Standley & Steyermark, 1952; pp. 313-314).

Habitat/ecology:  In Guatemala, "Moist or wet, lowland forest or thickets, sometimes in second growth, 600 meters or lower" (Standley & Steyermark, 1952; pp. 313-314).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  "Southern Mexico, southward to Panama; West Indies" (Standley & Steyermark, 1952; pp. 313-314). Mexico, Central America and northern South America (GRIN)

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Isabela Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Volcán Sierra Negra, Isabela Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santa Cruz Group	Santa Cruz Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Costa Rica (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Guatemala (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Honduras (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Nicaragua (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Panama (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Colombia	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Ecuador (Republic of) (continental)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Perú (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Piper peltatum, please let us know.