An alternative view is that the paleoherbs represent relicts descended from some of the earliest flowering plants, a view known as the Paleoherb Hypothesis . The Piperales are a group of herbs, shrubs, and small trees found primarily in the tropics. Many species are aromatic , producing fragrant or spicy smells. A common characteristic of the members of this group are the flower clusters. In some species, the flowers closest to the bottom produce large petal-like bracts, so that the whole cluster resembles an odd flower, as in Anemopsis , shown below.
Species placed in the lizard's tail family have showy bracts associated with some of their flowers.
At right, a picture of Houttuynia cordata , showing its large heart-shaped leaves. The Piperales are usually divided into two unequal groups. The first is the Saururaceae , including 5 genera and seven species from North America and eastern Asia. These are the species with petaloid bracts, such as those pictured above. The second group is the Piperaceae with more than 1400 species, mostly in the genera Piper and Peperomia .