1.2- Family Piperaceae + Overview The Piperaceae, also known as the pepper family, are a large family of flowering plants. The group contains roughly 3,600 currently accepted species in 13 genera. The vast majority of peppers can be found within the two main genera: Piper (2000 species) and Peperomia(1600 species). Members of the Piperaceae may be small trees, shrubs, or herbs. The distribution of this group is best described as pantropical. The most well-known species is Piper nigrum, which yields most peppercorns that are used as spices, including black pepper, although its relatives in the family include many other spices. + Taxonomy The APG III system of 2009 recognizes this family, and assigns it to the order Piperales in the unranked clade magnoliids.The family consists of five genera: Peperomia, Piper, Verhuellia, Manekia, and Zippelia. a- SubfamilyPiperoideae Arnott (2 genera) Genera 1- Peperomia Ruiz & Pavon 1794 (about 1600 species) 2- Piper Linnaeus 1753 (about 2000 species) b- SubfamilyVerhuellioideae Samain & Wanke (1 genus) Genus 1- Verhuellia Miquel 1843 (three species) c- SubfamilyZippelioideae Samain & Wanke Genera 1- Manekia Trelease 1927 (six species) 2- Zippellia Blume 1830 (one species)
2- Subfamilies and genera of the Family Piperaceae
2.1- Subfamily Piperoideae Arnott (2 genera) + Overview The Piperoideae is the largest of these sub-families by far. In fact Peperomia and Piper represent two of the most numerous genera within all of the flowering plants. There are over two thousand Piper species and between sixteen and eighteen hundred Peperomia species. In contrast, the other three genera only have about ten species all together. + Genera 1- Peperomia Ruiz & Pavon 1794 (about 1600 species) 2- Piper Linnaeus 1753 (about 2000 species)
2.2- SubfamilyVerhuellioideaeSamain & Wanke (1 genus) + Overview The Subfamily Verhuellioideae is in the Family Piperaceae - the Pepper family. Subfamily Verhuellioideae contains the single genus Verhuellia. + Genus 1- Verhuellia Miquel 1843 (three species) 2.3- SubfamilyZippelioideaeSamain & Wanke (2 genera) + Overview The Subfamily Zippelioideae is in the Family Piperaceae - the Pepper family. Subfamily Zippelioideae contains the two genera: Manekia and Zippellia. + Genera 1- Manekia Trelease 1927 (six species) 2- Zippellia Blume 1830 (one species)