ABSTRACT
Betel nuts are traditionally consumed with “betel leaf,” which is obtained from the betel pepper, Piper betle L. Betel pepper is also known as betel and betelvine. It probably originated in Malesia and is cultivated along with betel palm in the Old World tropics. It is a herbaceous, evergreen, red-berried plant, the stems extending as far as 5 m (16 ft.). The betel pepper is widely cultivated in southern Asia, where betel has been chewed since ancient times. Betel pepper leaves cannot be imported into the United States.
