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Piper betle L.

Family Name:	Piperaceae
Synonyms:	Piper siriboa L.
Common Name:	Betel, Betel Vine, Betel Pepper, Betle Pepper, Pan, Sireh

Piper betle, known as Betel or Sireh is a climbing vine with glossy, heart-shaped leaves. This plant is usually cultivated for its leaves where in some countries, they are chewed with slaked lime and in some others, they are used as traditional herbal medicine or for prayers.

Semi Shade

Lots of Water

Moderate Water

Herb or Spice

Suitable for Hanging Baskets

Ornamental Leaves

Climber, Vine and Liana

Name

Family Name
Genus Epithet
Species Epithet
Name Authority
Name Status (botanical)
Synonyms
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Comments
Species Summary

Classifications and Characteristics

Plant Division	Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Dicotyledon)
Plant Growth Form	Climber, Vine & Liana
Lifespan (in Singapore)	Perennial

Mode of Nutrition	Autotrophic
Maximum Height	3 m to 4.5 m

Biogeography

Native Distribution	Bali, East Indies
Native Habitat	Terrestrial
Preferred Climate Zone	Tropical

Local Conservation Status

Non-native (Spontaneous (Casual))

Description and Ethnobotany

Growth Form	A semi-woody branching vine with a sprawling or climbing growth habit.
Foliage	Light green to bright green leaves are glossy, deeply veined and hairless. They are heart-shaped with entire leaf margin. The petiole (leaf stalk) is reddish like the stem.
Stems	Round stems are orangish to reddish.

Flowers	White catkins developed on the nodes, erect or pendulous. Flowers are small, without sepal and petal.
Fruit	Fleshy, globose to ellipsoidal shaped.
Cultivation	This species has some drought tolerance, but grows best in fertile, well-drained soil that is kept moist. Propagate by division.
Etymology	The genus Piper comes from Sanskrit 'pippali' which means pepper. The specific epithet betle is from the Malayan vernacular name, vettila, for the masticatory leaves, betel.
Ethnobotanical Uses	Food (Herb and Spice) Medicinal: Leaf extracts have antimicrobial and antioxidant activity (Nalina and Rahim 2007, Dasgupta amd De 2004). They also promoted glucose metabolism in diabetic rats (Santhakumari et al 2006), but might cause cancer when consumed with lime and areca nut (a popular combination known as piper betel quid). Cultural / Religious: Brass containers of betel nut leaves are swapped to finalized weddings in Bengal. Bride and groom seek blessings from elders by presenting them with betel leaves and areca nuts. Others: The combination of leaves, betel nut (fruit of Areca catechu) and slaked lime has stimulating properties when chewed. In traditional Vietnamese weddings, the groom offers the bride's parents betel leaves and areca nuts as part of the bride price.

Landscaping Features

Desirable Plant Features	Ornamental Foliage
Landscape Uses	Hanging Basket, Parks & Gardens, Trellis / Arbour / Pergola

Plant Care and Propagation

Light Preference	Semi-Shade
Water Preference	Lots of Water, Moderate Water
Plant Growth Rate	Fast to Moderate

Rootzone Tolerance	Moist Soils, Well-Drained Soils
Propagation Method	Stem Cutting

Foliar

Foliage Retention	Evergreen
Mature Foliage Colour(s)	Green
Mature Foliage Texture(s)	Glossy / Shiny

Prominent Young Flush Colour(s)	Green, Green - Light Green
Young Flush Texture(s)	Glossy / Shiny
Foliar Type	Simple / Unifoliate
Foliar Attachment to Stem	Petiolate
Foliar Shape(s)	Non-Palm Foliage (Cordate)
Foliar Venation	Pinnate / Net
Foliar Margin	Entire

Non - Foliar and Storage

Root Type	Aboveground (Aerial Root)

Floral (Angiosperm)

Flower Colour(s)	White
Flower Grouping	Cluster / Inflorescence
Flower Location	Axillary

Flower Symmetry	Radial
Inflorescence Type	Spike, Catkin

References

References	Suwanphakdee, C., Simpson, D.A., Hodkinson T.R. & Chantaranothai P. (2020). A synopsis of Thai Piper (Piperaceae). Thai Forest Bulletin (Botany) 48(2): 145-183

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Master ID	194
Species ID	1490
Flora Disclaimer	The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes.