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P.barberi
| Botany: | A very distinct species among the South Indian Piper having reticulately veined leaves and spikes borne slender, long dangling peduncle. A perennial climber, glabrous, dioecious, branching dimorphic, juvenile shoots slender with persistent scale leaves, orthotropic shoots with small leaves, 5-7 cm long, 2-3 cm broad, glabrous, lanceolate, tip acuminate, base unequally acute, pinnately reticulate. Male spikes narrow, 7-10 cm long, Pollen fertility is high; female spikes 4-7 cm, cylindrical, pendulous, bone on long, slender peduncle, bracts peltate, orbicular, ovary 0.5- 1.0 mm, sessile, 1- celled, 1- ovuled, stigma 3- lobed, papillate, style absent, self pollinated; fruit fleshy drupe 5-6 mm across, red when ripe; seeds 2-3 mm, ovoid, seed set is very poor. Not related to any other known South Indian Species.Endangered.2n= 52 |
| Keyfeature: | Leaves not ribbed, veination pinnately reticulate | | Distribution: | In southern parts of Western Ghats , hills of Tirunelvely. |
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