Piper interruptum

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PiperaceaeShoots
Piper interruptum
iNaturalist · cc-by-nc
(c) 羅忠良, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by 羅忠良
Piper interruptum
iNaturalist · cc-by-sa
(c) Tony Eales, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
Piper interruptum
iNaturalist · cc-by-nc
(c) galanhsnu, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)

What to Eat

Edible parts: Stem

The stem is used as a flavouring. It is very spicy, with peppery and chilli tones, and leaves a lingering aftertaste. It is used especially in Northern Laos and northern Thailand food, and has a slightly numbing effect on the tongue.

Where to Find It

It is a tropical plant. In north Australia it grows from sea level to 750 m above sea level.

Asia, Australia, Indochina, Papua New Guinea, PNG, SE Asia, Thailand,

Countries: United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Brunei, Bhutan, China, Georgia, Indonesia, Israel, India, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Cambodia, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Laos, Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Mongolia, Maldives, Malaysia, Nepal, Oman, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Syria, Thailand, Tajikistan, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Turkey, Taiwan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen

How to Identify

A slender vine. The stem is 2 cm across. The leaves are 8-12 cm long by 4-7 cm wide. The leaf stalk is 1-1.5 cm long. The flowers are opposite the leaves. The flowering shoots are 7-9 cm long.

How to Grow

A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required.

Medicinal Uses

The compounds crotepoxide, eupomatene and pipercallosine have been extracted from the stems of this plant. In parts of Asia this species has been used as an anti-flatulent, an emollient to relieve coughing and an antiseptic.

Wikipedia

Source ↗

Piper interruptum is a vine in the pepper family Piperaceae, native to the eastern parts of Southeast Asia and to Melanesia and Queensland.

Names & Synonyms

Sakhan

Piper interruptum var. multinervum C. DC.Possibly Piper triandrum F. Muell.
References (1)
  • Nakahara, K. et al, 2002, Antimutagenicity of Some Edible Thai Plants, and a Bioactive Carbazole Alkaloid, Mahanine, Isolated from Micromelum minutum. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 50: 4796-4892

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