MICROPROPAGATION OF AN ENDANGERED SPECIES OF PIPER BARBERI GAMBLE AND ITS CONSERVATION

Abstract

The genus Piper is represented by about 13 species in South India of
which Piper barberi is very. rare (Gamble, 1925). The other important speci£'s
of Piper and P. nigrum (black pepper), P. betle (betel vine) and P. longum
(Indian long pepper). Piper barberi is reported to be almost extinct and recorded
in the red data book of Indian plants (Nayar and Sastry, 1988). After the type
collection of CA. Barber in 1901, it was thought to be extinct. Its occurance
was again repoted six decades later by Dubramanyam and Henry (970) and
later by Nirmal Babu et al., (1992) and Mathew and Mathew (1992). Piper
barberi is a remarkable species and can be easily distinguished by its pinnately
veined leaves and spikes borne on very long filiform peduncles.