Piper clypeatum

Piper clypeatum originates from the Malaysian part of Borneo, Aceh (North Sumatra), and the Nicobar Islands. It grows epiphytically on tree trunks, with leaves that lie close to the trunk. The leaves are dark green/gray, circular in mature plants, bullate (blistered surface), and hairy. The plant grows rather slowly but is robust in terrarium conditions. The leaves reach a diameter of approximately 6 to 10 cm, and up to 15 cm in very old plants. The vine grows several meters high and branches little or not at all.

The plants we offer are definitely not Rhaphidophora versteegii , or indeed any member of the Araceae family. This is the true Piper clypeatum with its circular, hairy leaves. The vast majority of images found online when searching for " Piper clypeatum " depict the wrong plant! Our image gallery includes pictures of the genuine P. clypeatum in our greenhouse, as well as photos taken by Dr. Andreas Wistuba , who photographed this plant in its natural habitat at Gunung Tambuyukon (Sabah, Borneo).

The difference between P. clypeatum and R. versteegii can also be easily discerned by another characteristic: the smell! Typical of pepper plants (Piperaceae), Piper clypeatum also has a very spicy aroma when cut or damaged. The stems and leaves have a characteristically peppery scent (like betel leaves), while the roots have a pleasantly sweet, spicy aroma. This characteristic is even mentioned in herbarium specimens .

This is a truly remarkable rarity, which is hardly present in European culture.



You will receive a young plant in a 9 cm square pot, approximately 15 cm tall (6th picture in the gallery). The leaves of young plants are not yet as perfectly round as those of larger plants, but slightly oval!