About Piper kawakamii Hayata
Piper kawakamii Hayata has stoloniferous, climbing stems with a smooth surface marked by fine longitudinal lines, and roots grow from its stem nodes. Its leaves are alternately arranged, hairless, and have a papery texture; they range in shape from oval to ovate, 8–18 cm long and 3.5–8.5 cm wide. Leaf edges are smooth, with a rounded to blunt base and a short, gradually acuminate tip. Hairless petioles measure 0.4–1 cm in length. Inflorescences form opposite the leaves, and flowers are unisexual. Male inflorescences are upright spikes 4–5 cm long, with peduncles approximately 1.5 cm long. Female inflorescences are also upright spikes, measuring 2–3 cm long, with similarly sized peduncles around 1.5 cm long. Fruits are red berries that grow along the inflorescence rachis. This species is primarily distributed in low-elevation areas of southern Taiwan, growing in coral reef zones between 10 and 300 meters above sea level. Its main distribution center is the Hengchun Peninsula, mostly within Kenting National Park. It can also be found at Dapingding, Guanshan, and Shoushan in Kaohsiung. Piper kawakamii Hayata is a food source for Formosan sika deer.
