Piper sarmentosum Roxb.

Etymology	Genus	Pepper
	Species	Producing a runner, referring to its creeping habit
Family		Piperaceae
Synonyms		Piper albispicum C. DC., Piper baronii C. DC., Piper lolot C. DC.
Common Names		Wild Pepper, Wild Betel, Kadok, Kaduk, Chabei
Status		Native: Least Concern
Form		Creeping herb
Native Distribution		China, India, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines

Diagnostics

Piper sarmentosum is a erect herb commonly cultivated in shaded or semi-shaded areas. The leaves are dark green, heart-shaped, and like other Piper species, a distinct venation radiating from the leaf base.

Interesting Facts

Parts of the herb is used for traditional remedies (Samy et al., 2014). The roots are mixed with Betel Nut (Areca catechu) and chewed, swallowing the juice, to treat coughs and asthma. Also, the shoots and young leaves are dipped in sambal and eaten raw (known as ulam).

References

Samy J, M Sugumaran & KLW Lee. (2014) 100 Useful Herbs of Malaysia and Singapore. Marshall Cavendish Edition, Singapore. 247 pp.