Peperomia pellucida: Shiny bush plant

Family: Piperaceae
Common name: Shiny bush, Shining bush plant, Pepper elder, Man to man, Slate pencil plant, Rat’s ear, Silverbush, Clearweed, Mashithandu, Vellathandu

Shiny bush plant is a small, succulent-stemmed, shallow-rooted wild plant seen very commonly in Kerala. Its succulent stems were used by children to clean their writing slates in olden days, and hence it’s also called Slate pencil plant.

Plant characteristics
These tiny herbs only grow to a height of 1-1.5 feet with heart-shaped leaves, which are glossy and succulent, about 3-4 cm long. Stem is erect and cylindrical, hairless, with nodes every 3-4 cm.

They are very beautiful and translucent, spreading beautifully along the ground and then bending at the nodes and growing erect.

Leaves of the Shiny bush plant are heart-shaped, translucent, and glossy green in color. The succulent nature of the stem and leaves made them good to wipe writing tablets called slates.

Shiny bush flowers are very interesting, growing as tall spikes from leaf axils, the angle between leaves and stem. Tiny fruits and seeds are formed on these tall spikes, initially green, later turning brown like tiny mustard seeds. The plant has a mustard-like odor when crushed.

Growing tips
Shiny bush plants grow well in tropical weather – sunny and warm with good rainfall. They are mostly seen during rainy season when the stem and leaves can store up enough water.

These plants prefer good sunlight and well-drained soil since water-logging can lead to root rot.

Once established in the soil they do not need much care or fertilization. But these plants are short-lived dying down once the plant flowers and seeds.

Uses of Shiny Bush Plant
Though these plants are seen on roadsides, open areas, backyards and riversides; it has high medicinal value. They are used in treatment of headache, cough, cold, fever, sore throat, hypertension, cholesterol, kidney ailments, proteinuria, joint pain, boils, colic, acne and a variety of other illnesses.

Shiny bush plants has analgesic, antibiotic, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory properties. These plants can be eaten both cooked and raw, or added to salads. They flourish during rainy season, growing in clumps where the soil is moist, but not water-logged.

Many studies have been conducted on the chemicals extracted from this plant, and it shows promise as a potential plant to develop new drugs from.

But urbanization has led to a decrease in the population of this plant in its natural habitat. Shiny bushes are now grown as ornamental plants to add to succulent collections in home gardens.

Propagation
Propagation is through seeds and stem cuttings. Shiny bush plants are capable of self-seeding, producing tiny seedlings under the parent plant.

The seeds can also be dispersed through water and small animals, helping the plant spread over small areas.

Photographed at: Koonammavu, Kerala