假蒟 jia ju

Chavica hainana C. de Candolle; C. sarmentosa (Roxburgh) Miquel; Piper albispicum C. de Candolle; P. brevicaule C. de Candolle; P. gymnostachyum C. de Candolle; P. lolot C. de Candolle; P. pierrei C. de Candolle; P. saigonense C. de Candolle.

Herbs to more than 10 m, mostly creeping along ground, most parts very finely powdery pubescent at least when young, dioecious. Fertile stems ± erect. Petiole 2-5 cm (-10 cm on creeping stems), very finely powdery pubescent; leaf blades toward base of stem ovate to suborbicular, those toward apex of stem smaller, ovate or ovate-lanceolate, 7-14 × 6-13 cm, ± membranous, finely glandular, abaxially finely powdery pubescent along veins, adaxially glabrous, base cordate to rounded, sometimes cuneate on apical branches, ± symmetric, apex acute; veins 7, glaucous when dry, abaxially very prominent, apical pair arising 1-2 cm above base, reaching leaf apex; reticulate veins conspicuous. Spikes leaf-opposed. Male spikes white, 1.5-2.5(-3) cm × 2-3 mm; peduncle to ca. as long as spikes; rachis pubescent; bracts transversely elliptic, 0.5-0.6 mm, peltate, ± sessile. Stamens 2; filaments ca. 2 × as long as anthers; anthers subglobose. Female spikes 2-5(-8) cm, to 8 mm thick in fruit; peduncle as in male spikes; rachis glabrous; bracts suborbicular, peltate, 1-1.3 mm in diam. Stigmas (3 or)4(or 5), hispidulous. Drupe subglobose, 4-angled, 2.5-3 mm, partly connate to rachis. Fl. Apr-Nov.

Forests or wet places near villages; near sea level to 1000 m. Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Xizang, Yunnan [Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam]

Used as medicine traditionally.