Piperales
DD: Phase 6; Hydrogen series; Carbon series.
Botany: 14 genera; 3610 species.
Region: pantropical.
Subphases
1. Macropiperioideae: Macropiper, Pothomorphe, Piper.
2. Peperomioideae, Peperomiaceae: Peperomia, Piper.
3. Enckeoideae: Enkea, Ottonia, Piper.
4. Macrostachioidea: Macrostachys, Piper.
5. Raduloideae: Radula, Piper
6. Schillerioideae: Schillerioa, Piepr.
7. Manekioideae: Zippelia, Manekia, Verhuellia.
+ Saururaceae: Anemopsis, Gymnotheca, Houttuynia, Saururus.
Botany
Plant: small trees, shrubs, vines, or perennial or annual herbs; rhizomatous, terrestrial or epiphytic.
Stem: simple or branched; with swollen nodes;.
Leaves: simple, entire, at the base or along the stem, alternate, opposite, or whorled, with stipules and petioles; palmately veined; noticeably aromatic when crushed.
Inflorescences: spikes, spadix; terminal, opposite the leaves, or in the axils.
Flowers: bisexual, no perianth, 3 merous, small; subtended by a peltate bract.
Stamens: 2- to 6, hypogynous, 2-locular anthers.
Carpels: 1 to 4;; 1 locule; 1 pistil, 3 to 4 stigmas.
Fruit: single, drupelike, minute embryo, mealy perisperm.