Piper kawakamii explained

Piper kawakamii (Chinese: c=恒春風藤|p=Héngchūn fēngténg or Chinese: c=恆春胡椒|p=Héngchūn hújiāo|labels=no), also known as the Kawakamii pepper, is a flowering plant in the family Piperaceae. It is a native endemic species in Taiwan. The plant is mainly distributed in the Hengchun Peninsula. It was collected by Takiya Kawakami at the Kuraru Community (currently known as the Kenting National Park), on July 2, 1906. In 1911, the plant was published by Bunzō Hayata as a new species. The type specimen of this plant is being preserved in the Botanical Gardens, Graduate School of Science, the University of Tokyo, Japan.[1] [2] and the Herbarium of Taiwan Forest Research Institute [3] [4]

Description

The stem is stoloniferous and has climbing property with smooth surface and striae.[5] Roots grow from the node area. Leaves grow in alternate pattern with hairless paper texture. They are oval to egg shaped with length between and width of . The border of the leaf is smooth with rounded to blunt base, while the tip is short with gradual sharpness. Hairless petiole, length: . Opposite leaves and inflorescence. Unisexual flower and the male inflorescence: vertical spike inflorescence with length between . The length of the peduncle is approximately . The female inflorescence is vertical spike inflorescence as well with the length between . The length of the peduncle is approximately . The red berries are the fruit which grow on the rachis.

Taxonomy

This plant species was collected by Takiya Kawakami at the Kuraru Community (currently known as the Kenting National Park), on July 2, 1906. In 1911, the plant was named by Bunzō Hayata as a new species in the summary journal article in Tokyo University of Science.[6]

Distribution and habitats

It is mainly distributed in the low altitude area of Southern Taiwan. They usually grow in the coral reef zone, between the height of above sea level. The Hengchun Peninsula is their chief area of distribution, mainly at the Kenting National Park. On the other hand, it can also be seen at Dapingding, Guanshan and Shoushan in Kaoshung.[7] [8] [9]

Artificial breeding and conservation status

Least Concern (LC), currently no artificial breeding.[10]

Utilization of the habitat

It is one of the food sources for the Formosan sika deers.[10]

Notes

  1. Web site: Piper kawakamii-台灣植物資訊整合查詢系統 . 2023-02-12 .
  2. 採集號:1645;館號:T00305
  3. Web site: 林業試驗所植物標本館模式標本查詢 . 2023-02-12 .
  4. 採集號:1645;館號:7082
  5. Book: 楊遠波、劉和義、呂勝由 . 台灣維管束植物簡誌 . 中華民國行政院農業委員會 . 1999.
  6. 早田 . 文藏 . 1911-06-20 . Materials for a Flora of Formosa . 東京帝國大學理科大學紀要 . XXX, Art. . 1-473.
  7. 陳柏豪 . 楊勝任 . 2018 . zh:臺灣南部壽山國家自然公園高位珊瑚礁藤本植物多樣性研究 . zh:國家公園學報 . 1 . 28 . 44-58.
  8. Book: 陳玉峯 . zh:墾丁國家公園海岸植被 . 墾丁國家公園管理處 . 1985 . 屏東縣 . 270.
  9. Book: zh:墾丁國家公園稀有植物調查報告 . 墾丁國家公園管理處 . 1985 . 屏東縣 . 122 . 徐國士 . 林則桐 . 呂勝由 . 邱文良.
  10. Web site: zh:恒春風藤 Piper kawakamii Hayata 分類群 . https://www.tbn.org.tw/taxa/50a9d18c-3514-4a81-bac1-087e2c5757d2 . zh:台灣生物多樣性網絡 . 國內紅皮書: 暫無危機(LC, Least Concern).