The betel leaf (Piper betle) is the glossy, heart-shaped leaf of a tropical evergreen vine in the pepper family, prized across South and Southeast Asia for its warm, peppery, faintly clove-like aroma. It is best known as the wrapper of paan — a folded quid filled with areca nut, slaked lime and spices that is chewed as a mild stimulant and digestive after meals.