A Systematic Revision of the Genus Manekia (Piperaceae) Schubert, Heather K. Taylor, Michael S. Smith, James F. Bornstein, Allan J. Systematic Botany 2012 Basel, Switzerland 2012-09-01 37 3 587 598 5TG39 Trelease, Contr. U. S. Natl. Herb. [159,637,1381,1403] Magnoliopsida Piperaceae Sarcorhachis Plantae Piperales 6 593 Tracheophyta genus   General Distribution—The genus is found in Haiti, Lesser Antilles, Central America, and South America.  Notes—Species of  Manekia(with the apparent exception of  Manekia urbanii; see notes for that species below) have an interesting growth habit relative to other Neotropical pipers. They can spend a considerable amount of time in a completely vegetative state, often trailing along the forest floor via monopodial stems. Occasionally these monopodial branches make contact with a tree trunk and they begin to climb via adventitious roots at each node. When the plant is within the canopy or sub-canopy and is exposed to increased sunlight, dangling sympodial branches are produced that bear the inflorescences. The spikes are often solitary and appear axillary in position, although this “axillary spike” is actually terminal on a highly reduced axillary branch. On occasion spikes may be paired together, both appearing to be axillary in position relative to the nearest leaf of any appreciable size. Once again, they are actually terminal on highly reduced axillary branches, with the second spike having an obvious nodose, bracteate peduncle (the leaf-like bract caducous and commonly absent on herbarium specimens). In the descriptions provided (genus and species), leaf terminology follows Ellis et al. (2009)as much as possible; details of leaf morphology (size, shape, and specific dimensions) are based on leaves borne along the monopodial axes only. As noted in the generic description, leaves of the sympodial axes, if present, are generally smaller in size, trending toward elliptic in shape, and with fewer primary veins.