Habitat
It is cultivated in the hot and moist parts of India, Ceylon and other tropical countries.

Morphology Description (Habit)
P.nigrum is a branching, climbing perennial shrub. The branches are stout, trailing and rooting at the nodes; the leaves, entire, base acute, rounded or cordate, equal or unequal; the flowers, minute in spikes, usually dioecious; the fruiting spikes are very variable in length; the fruits, ovoid or globose, bright red when ripe; the seeds, usually globose.

Principal Constituents
Piperine, chavicine, piperidine and piperettine.

Indications
It is much employed as an aromatic stimulant in weakness following fevers, coma, etc., as a stomachic in dyspepsia and flatulence. It has bacteriostatic and fungistatic properties.