Peperomia, or 'ala 'ala wai nui, is a small herb which forms a mat or ground cover. It grows on moist forest soils or pockets of soil in shallow depressions on rocks. It is a fleshy-leaved, herbaceous plant with tiny flowers densely packed on small spikes. See photo on above left.

Peperomia is found on all the main islands in wetlands, mesic forest, wet forest, alpine shrubland, and alpine desert environments. There are 23 endemic species in the genus and 2 indigenous ones, for a total of 25 species.

The photo on the left by Charles Lamoureux is of one of the indigenous species,Peperomia tetraphylla. The photo on the right by Marilyn Bauer is probably of an endemic species since the plant was found in the Alaka'i Wilderness on Kaua'i. The photo below, also by Marilyn Bauer, is of a plant on the summit area of Mt. Ka'ala



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