Piper aduncum
|
Taxon |
Family |
|
Piper aduncum L. |
Piperaceae |
 |
 |
| Natural habitat in Brazil Credit: DJ Soares & RW Barreto |
Invaded habitat in Malaysia |
Common names: Spiked pepper, bamboo piper, matico, jointwood, false kava, cow's foot.
Synonyms: Artanthe adunca (L.) Miq. 1840, Artanthe celtidifolia (Kunth) Miq. 1844, Piper aduncifolium Trel. 1929, Piper aduncum L. var. laevifolium C.DC. 1920, Piper anguillaespicum Trel. 1929, Piper celtidifolium Kunth 1816, Piper disparispicum Trel. 1929, Piper elongatum Vahl var. laevifolium (C.DC.) Trel. 1927, Piper fatoanum C.DC. 1920, Piper flavescens (C.DC.) Trel. 1929, Piper hebecarpum C.DC. 1902, Piper intersitum Trel. 1940, Piper intersitum Trel. var. porcecitense Trel. 1940, Piper martinicense C.DC. 1898, Piper martinicense C.DC. var. genuinum Stehle 1940, Piper martinicense C.DC. var. montis-pilati C.DC. 1902, Piper multinervium M.Martens & Galeotti var. amplum Trel. 1938, Piper multinervium M.Martens & Galeotti var. kantelolense Trel. 1938, Piper multinervium M.Martens & Galeotti 1843, Piper multinervium M.Martens & Galeotti var. skutchii Trel. 1938, Piper oblanceolatum Trel. var. fragilicaule Trel. 1929, Piper pseudovelutinum C.DC. var. flavescens C.DC. 1891, Piper stehleorum Trel. 1940, Piper submolle Trel. 1929, Piper subrectinerve C.DC. 1902, Steffensia adunca (L.) Kunth 1840, Steffensia celtidifolia (Kunth) Kunth 1840
Life form: Small tree
Biology/Ecology:
Dispersal: Seeds are spread by birds, bats and possibly rodents. Can spread locally by suckers. The plant is transported long distances by humans for use as ornamental trees, agroforestry, agricultural terraces and accidental via movement of equipment.
Reproduction: The plant flowers and fruits throughout the year. Flowers and white to pale yellow and turn green on maturity, and are borne in curving spikes opposite leaves. Peduncles are between 12 and 17 mm long, and each flower usually has 4 stamen. Fruits are small berries and contain small seeds which are 0.7 to 1.25mm in length. Seeds have a low germination rate.
Herbivores: No information available.
Resistant stages: No information available.
Habitat:
Native habitat: Evergreen forests, humid woodland and riparian zones below 2000 metres.
Habitat occupied in invaded range: Disturbed rainforest, forest margins and clearings, plantations, disturbed areas.
Habitat requirements:
| Altitude | Below 2000 metres above sea level. |
| Light | High light levels, moderately intolerant of shade. |
| Temperature | No information available. |
| Annual rainfall | From 1500 to over 4000 mm. |
| Soil | Requires bare soil surface with some moisture for the plant to become established. |
Distribution:
Native to the West Indies, Central America and tropical South America.
Introduced range: Invasive in Southeast Asia, Polynesia, Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Hawaii. Introduced but not considered invasive in Tanzania, southeastern USA, Malaysia and Solomon Islands.
Impacts:
Ecosystem: Fast growing pioneer shrub, grows quickly in disturbed forest producing dense thickets, inhibiting growth of native species. Dense thickets prevent natural forest regeneration. Source of food for animals.
Health, social and economic: In the Pacific, the plant can become mixed with the Kava (Piper methysticum) crop, which can lower its quality. It also competes with Kava and acts as a host for pests and pathogens of the Kava crop.
Management:
Mechanical: Seedlings and saplings can be dug out. Larger trees can be cut and herbicide applied to the stump.
Chemical: Apply 20% Garlon 4 to basal bark, or 50% Garlon 3A can be applied to stumps at ground level. Plants can be sprayed with broadleaf weed killers such as 2,4-D.
Biological: No information available.
References:
Weber, E., 2003. Invasive Plant Species of the World: A Reference Guide to Environmental Weeds. CABI Publishing, Wallingford, UK.
ISSG, 2005. Piper aduncum (shrub, tree). Global Invasive Species Database. Available from http://www.issg.org/database/species/ecology.asp?si=332&fr=1&sts=sss (Accessed August 2006).
Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk, 2005. Available from http://www.hear.org/Pier/species/piper_aduncum.htm (Accessed August 2006).
Francis, J.K. Piper aduncum L. USDA Forest Service. Available from http://www.fs.fed.us/global/iitf/pdf/shrubs/Piper%20aduncum.pdf (Accessed August 2006).
Last updated October 2006
