Pepper
Pepper,common name for a family comprising shrubby or herbaceous flowering plants,and for its representative genus.the family contains about 14genera and about 1950 species.Pan-tropical in distribution,it is particularly abundant in moist areas.Other Than the representative genus,the only economically important member of the family is a genus sometimes called pepper elder.It is an ornamental plant grown in greenhouses.
Peppercorns
that are harvested while green and immature and then allowed to dry yield black
pepper.To produce white pepper,ripe peppercorns(which are red)are soaked in
water and white outer covering is rubbed off.pepper is one of the oldest known
spices,in use for at least 3000 years.
