Piper surrogatus
Trel.
PiperaceaeFruit
What to Eat
Edible parts: Fruit - flavouring
The fruit is used as a flavouring and is traditionally chewed with betel.
Where to Find It
A tropical plant. It occurs in Papua New Guinea near Buin in Bougainville. It grows in the rainforest.
Cook Islands, Pacific, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Solomon Islands,
Countries: Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Palau, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Samoa
How to Identify
A vine. It climbs up rainforest trees. The fruit are small. They are 5 cm long and 2 mm across.
Medicinal Uses
It is used traditionally for chewing with betel.
Other Information
It is cultivated.
Notes
There are between 1000-2000 Piper species. They are mostly in the tropics.
References (2)
- Altschul, S.V.R., 1973, Drugs and Foods from Little-known Plants. Notes in Harvard University Herbaria. Harvard Univ. Press. Massachusetts. no. 558
- French, B.R., 2010, Food Plants of Solomon Islands. A Compendium. Food Plants International Inc. p 368
