One of the oldest and most important of the spices. It is the dried, unripe fruit of a weak climbing vine, Piper nigrum, a member of the pepper family (Piperaceae), and a native of India or Indomalaysia. The fruits are small one-seeded berries which, in ripening, undergo a color change from green to red to yellow. When in the red stage, they are picked, sorted, and dried. The dry, wrinkled berries (peppercorns) are ground to make the familiar black pepper of commerce. White pepper is obtained by grinding the seed separately from the surrounding pulp.