Peperomia glassmanii Yunck.

Peperomia glassmanii Yuncker

Peperomia glassmanii Yuncker, Occ. Pap. Bishop Mus., 22:105–107, 1959 [type from Ponape, Glassman 2844].—Glassman, Bishop Mus. Bull., 209:54, 1952 [pro parte; as P. palauensis].

Weak, fleshy, creeping herbs, rooting at lower nodes, stems densely to sparsely puberulent with curved hairs; leaves alternate, well-developed ones elliptic to broadly lanceolate, mostly 0.7–1.5 cm wide, 2–4 cm long, acutish at both ends, 3–5 nerved, nerves from base, outer pair, when 5, weakly developed, blades strongly ciliate, more or less puberulent on both sides, especially on nerves, petiole 3–5 (rarely 10) mm long; spikes pedunculate, terminal and opposite upper leaves, not numerous, 1–1.5 cm long, with peduncles almost as long, peduncle puberulent, rachis glabrous, rather sparsely flowered; fruit about 0.4 mm across, globose ovoid, very few seen.

This species may prove to be too close to P. breviramula when that species is better known.

Endemic to Ponape, where it grows as an epiphyte in montane rain forest and cloud forest at middle to high elevations.

GEOGRAPHIC RECORDS AND SPECIMENS EXAMINED

CAROLINE ISLANDS.—Ponape: Ledermann 13175 (BISH); Koidzumi in January 1915 (TI); Tolomail, Takamatsu 986 (BISH); Mt. Tolomail, Takamatsu 981 (BISH); Mt. Tolotom, 1200 ft [365 m] Glassman 2844 (US, isotype, BISH, type); Mt. Troton, Hosokawa 9534 (BISH, A); Mt. Tolenkiup, 500 ft [150 m], Glassman 2530 (US, BISH); Mt. Kankauzan, Hosokawa 5481 (BISH, A); Mt. Tamatamansakir, 1200 ft [365 m] Glassman 2328 (US, BISH); Niinioanii, Hosokawa 5701 (A); Tolun Nanket, mountain above Nanipil, drainage of Tawenjokola River, Not District, 600 m (above power plant), Fosberg 26423 (US, DPU), Fosberg 26434 (US, BISH, Fo, DPU, NY); 500 m, Fosberg 26456 (US, BISH, DPU); Mt. Nanalaut, 2000 ft [600 m], rain forest, Glassman 2386 (US) (cited by Glassman 1952:54, as P. breviramula); Sankaku-Yama, Kanehira 756 (NY, FU); Nipit, 400 m, Hatusima 10880 (FU); Mt. Seletenreh, U District, Stone 5388 (BISH).

Kanehira 756, Glassman 2328, 2530, 2844 were cited by Glassman (1952) as P. palauensis and are the basis for records of that species from Ponape.