New Piper species from the eastern slopes of the Andes in northern South America

We describe four new species of Piper from the Amazonian slopes of the northern Andes. Piperhoyoscardozii is distinguished from similar climbing species, P.dryadum and P.flagellicuspe, by its longer peduncles. The Amazonian species Piperindiwasii is distinguished from P.scutilimbum from Panama and northern Colombia by the narrowly spatulate leaf base extension. Pipernokaidoyitau is characterised by the presence of larger leaves and longer spikes than similar species, P.anonifolium and P.hostmannianum. Finally, P.velae is characterised by cordulate leaf bases in all nodes, petioles 0.8–1.5 cm long and pubescent fruits, which easily distinguish it from the related species, P.holdridgeanum.