Peperomia crotalophora is a species of epiphyte in the genus Peperomia that is endemic in Colombia & Peru. It grows on wet tropical biomes. Its conservation status is Not Threatened.
The type specimen were collected near Hacienda Schunke, Peru at an altitude of 1200 meters.
Peperomia crotalophora is a moderately tall, procumbent, glabrous herb that dries to a green color. The somewhat slender stem is 2âÂÂ3 mm thick with elongated internodes. The alternate leaves are rounded-ovate to almost triangular-ovate, acute or occasionally obtuse or shortly acuminate, and medium-sized (5.5âÂÂ6.5 cm long, 4.5 cm wide). They have multiple pinnate nerves: 4 basal nerves and 2 additional pairs arising from the lower quarter of the midrib. The petiole ranges from 3 cm to as long as 10 cm. The terminal spikes are solitary, terminating 2 cm long, single-bracteate peduncles. They are 50âÂÂ70 mm long and 1 mm thick, with flowers tightly arranged in whorls. The whorls of large anthers are densely clustered and very conspicuous in the young state. The round-peltate bracts are obscure and arranged in pseudowhorls of about 12.
It was described in 1936 by William Trelease in ', from specimens collected by James Francis Macbride. It got its epithet from the Greek + , meaning "rattle-bearing", referring to the rattle-like appearance of the densely whorled flowers with their conspicuous anthers.
It is endemic in Colombia & Peru. It grows on a epiphyte environment and is a herb. It grows on wet tropical biomes.
This species is assessed as Not Threatened, in a preliminary report.