[citation needed] The APG III system of 2009 recognizes this family, and assigns it to the order Piperales in the unranked clade magnoliids.

[3] The family consists of five genera: Piper, Peperomia, Zippelia, Manekia, and Verhuellia.

Leaves are simple with entire margins, and are positioned at the base of the plant or along the stem, and can be alternate, opposite, or whorled in arrangement.

Inflorescences (in the form of spikes) are terminal, opposite the leaves, or located in the axils.

[10] Numerous members of the Piperaceae family are used in the traditional medicinal systems of indigenous population for a wide variety of illnesses.

Many studies have been undertaken to investigate these uses, with a large number of them focusing especially on the active ingredient Piperine and related compounds found in many members of this family, especially Black pepper, Long pepper and Betel,[11][12] as well as kavalactones found in Kava.