Taxonomic history:
   1753: Linnaeus described this species as Piper aduncum in Species Plantarum, 1st ed., p. 29.
   today: The current name for this species is Piper aduncum L.

original Latin diagnosis
Piper foliis ovato-lanceolatis: nervis alternis, spicis uncinatis.

English translation
Piper with leaf blades ovate-lanceolate, the veins alternate; with spikes hook-shaped.

English translation with commentary

Piper	Piper
with leaf blades	foliis - ablative plural of second declension neuter noun folium, -i
ovate-lanceolate,	ovato-lanceolatis - ovato- (combining form of group A adjective ovatus, -a, -um) + lanceolatis (ablative plural neuter of group A adjective lanceolatus, -a, -um); modifies foliis
the veins	nervis - ablative plural of second declension masculine noun nervus, -i
alternate;	alternatis - ablative plural masculine of group A adjective alternatus, -a, -um); modifies nervis
[and]	[added for smoother reading]
with spikes	spicis - ablative plural of first declension feminine noun spica, -ae
hook-shaped.	uncinatis - ablative plural feminine of group A adjective uncinatus, -a, -um; modifies spicis