Piper nigrum Pepper, the world's favourite spice and now grown in tropical countries world-wide, is a native of India's Western Ghats and has long been used in Ayurvedic medicine for digestive disorders. An evergreen creeper, it is propagated from cuttings and supported on tree trunks. The flowers appear in June and are followed by spikes of green berries. As soon as the first berry turns red the whole spike is cut and immersed in boiling water for one minute before sun drying. This process helps to achieve a good black colour, and prevents the peppercorns developing a whitish tinge, which reduces the market price.
White pepper is merely black pepper with the pericarp removed.
This plant's tuberous rhizomes produce turmeric, which develops its characteristic brilliant yellow when boiled during processing. It also makes a good facial conditioner and Indian brides daub it on liberally before their weddings to soften and smooth the skin. Garcia da Orta went there in 1534, when in his early forties, as medical adviser to a high-ranking official, later Governor of the colony. He spent the remaining 36 years of his life there, studying the medicinal properties of the local plants and trees. There are several copies in the Central Library of Panaji, Goa's capital.