Like Peperomia umbilicata Ruiz & Pav. P. seleri is a geophyte from the Eastern Peruvian mountain slopes and the costal area. Both species usually occur at altitudes below 1000 m and are visible aboveground between June and October. P. umbilicata shows round, centrally peltate leaves, whereas in P. seleri they are rather ovate and peltate at 1/3 from the base [Mathieu, 2008 [pers. comm.]