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''Piper'', the pepper plants or pepper vines (a term used for certain ''Clematis'' in older times), are an economically and ecologically important genus in the family Piperaceae. It contains about 1,000-2,000 species of shrubs, herbs, and lianas, many of which are dominant species in their native habitat. The diversification of this taxon is of interest to understanding the evolution of plants. Pepper plants belong to the magnoliids, which are angiosperms but neither monocots nor eudicots. Their family, Piperaceae, is most closely related to the lizardtail family (Saururaceae), which in fact generally look like smaller, more delicate and amphibious pepper plants. Both families have characteristic tail-shaped inflorescences covered in tiny flowers. A somewhat less close relative is the pipevine family (Aristolochiaceae). A well-known and very close relative – being also part of the Piperaceae – are the radiator plants of the genus ''Peperomia''. The scientific name ''Piper'' and the common name "pepper" are derived from the Sanskrit term ''pippali'', denoting the Long pepper (''P. longum''). ==Distribution and ecology== ''Piper'' species have a pantropical distribution, and are most commonly found in the understory of lowland tropical rainforests, but can also occur in clearings and in higher elevation life zones such as cloud forests; one species (Japanese Pepper, ''P. kadsura'', from southern Japan and southernmost Korea) is subtropical and can tolerate light winter frost. Peppers are often dominant species where they are found. Most ''Piper'' species are either herbaceous or vines; some grow as shrubs or almost as small trees. A few species, commonly called "ant pipers" (e.g. ''Piper cenocladum''), live in a mutualism with ants. The fruit of the ''Piper'' plant, called a peppercorn when it is round and pea-sized, as is usual, is distributed in the wild mainly by birds, but small fruit-eating mammals – e.g. bats of the genus ''Carollia'' – are also important. Despite the high content of chemicals that are noxious to herbivores, some have evolved the ability to withstand the chemical defences of pepper plants, for example the sematurine moth ''Homidiana subpicta'' or some flea beetles of the genus ''Lanka''. The latter can be significant pests to pepper growers. ==''Piper'' and humans== Many pepper plants make good ornamentals for gardens in subtropical or warmer regions. Pepper vines can be used much as ivy in temperate climates, while other species, like Lacquered Pepper (''P. magnificum'') grow as sizeable, compact and attractive shrubs with tough and shiny leaves. Smaller species, like Celebes Pepper (''P. ornatum'') with its finely patterned leaves, are also suitable as indoor pot plants. Unsustainable logging of tropical primary forests is threatening a number of peppers. The extent of the effect of such wholesale habitat destruction on the genus is unknown, but it is to be noted that in the forests of Ecuador – the only larger region for which comprehensive data exists〔IUCN (2007)〕 – more than a dozen species are known to be on the brink of extinction. On the other hand, other ''Piper'' species (e.g. Spiked Pepper, ''P. aduncum'') have been widely distributed as a result of human activity and are a major invasive species in certain areas. The most significant human use of ''Piper'' is not for its looks however, but ultimately for the wide range of powerful secondary compounds found particularly in the fruits. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Piper (genus)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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