Pepper is a vine that grows up to 8 to 10 m, with thin, multi-branched stems and thick, ovate, pointed leaves. It has tiny white flowers that grow on slender spikes. Its small, round berries are red when mature and blackish-brown when dry (peppercorns). Pepper originates from the south-east coasts of India and is widely cultivated from India to Indonesia. The dried mature fruit is "black pepper". "White pepper" is produced by soaking the ripe peppercorns and removing the outer skin.

Botanist's Glossary