Nepenthes pitopangii
Nepenthes pitopangii | |
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An upper pitcher of Nepenthes pitopangii at the type locality in Lore Lindu National Park
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Order: | Caryophyllales |
Family: | Nepenthaceae |
Genus: | Nepenthes |
Species: | N. pitopangii
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Binomial name | |
Nepenthes pitopangii |
Nepenthes pitopangii
Botanical history
Nepenthes pitopangii was discovered by the
In July 2007, Stewart McPherson and Greg Bourke visited the plant and determined that it represented a previously unknown species.[7] McPherson returned to the site with Ch'ien Lee in April 2008 to make further observations of the plant in preparation for its formal description.[7][8] During these field trips, McPherson climbed three mountains near to the type locality, but was unable to find any additional specimens of N. pitopangii.[3]
The first detailed description of the species appeared in the second volume of McPherson's
Due to the extreme rarity of N. pitopangii, its type locality was not disclosed in the formal description.[2][3]
Discovery of new population
Writing in 2009,
Description
Type specimen
The only individual of this species at the type locality is a large male plant with numerous branched stems reaching up to 2 m in length. All of the stems are thought to be united by a single rootstock.[3] The stem is dark red to purple, with numerous tiny green spots.[3]
Leaves are
The upper pitchers are smaller than their terrestrial counterparts, growing to only 4.5 cm in height by 3.7 cm in width. They narrow markedly just below the pitcher orifice, giving them their distinctive inflated appearance. In aerial traps, the ventral wings are reduced to ribs. The peristome is cylindrical and measures up to 3 mm in width. It bears ribs up to 0.3 mm high and spaced up to 0.45 mm apart. Peristome teeth are completely absent in upper pitchers. On the inner surface of the pitcher cup, the digestive glands form a conspicuous band of black dots around the waterline of the pitcher fluid. Glands located elsewhere on the interior of the pitcher are yellow and far less prominent. This species does not appear to possess the highly viscous pitcher fluid of species such as N. inermis. The lid is sub-orbicular and up to 2.9 cm long by 2.8 cm wide. As in lower pitchers, it lacks appendages. An unbranched spur up to 1.5 mm long is inserted near the base of the lid. The upper pitchers are similarly coloured to the lowers, but with a slightly lighter pitcher body and darker (orange to red) peristome. The orange flecks on the pitcher exterior become longer towards the bottom of the pitcher, continuing as streaks for some distance up the tendril. As in lower traps, the upper surface of the lid closely matches the exterior of the pitcher in colouration.[3]
The plant has a racemose inflorescence measuring up to 37 cm in length by 2.5 cm in diameter. The peduncle itself may be up to 18 cm long by 3 mm wide, whereas the rachis is up to 20 cm long. The inflorescence bears one-flowered pedicels (7–9 mm long), with the lowermost ones sometimes bearing a filiform bract up to around 0.5 mm long. The elliptic tepals measure up to 2 mm in length. Androphores are 2.5–3 mm long. The female inflorescence and fruits of this species are unknown.[3]
An indumentum of silver-brown hairs (≤0.5 mm long) is present on developing pitchers and lower parts of the tendrils. The plant is otherwise glabrous.[3]
New population
This population consists primarily of mature climbing plants with branched stems up to 7 m long. A number of young rosette plants were also observed. Unlike the specimen at the type locality, these plants do not appear to be united by a single rootstock, having instead grown from individual seeds. Based on observations at the new site, it appears that N. pitopangii only remains in the rosette stage for a short time before transitioning into a scrambling vine.[4]
In terms of vegetative morphology, the plants at the new site are almost identical to the type specimen, although they differ markedly in colouration. While sharing the dark red to purple stem and green laminae of the type specimen, many have intensely red to purple midribs, both on the lower and upper laminar surfaces, which the plant at the type locality lacks. However, the most obvious differences are in the pitchers; the lower traps at the new locality vary significantly between individuals, but none show the same colouration as the type specimen. They are darker throughout, ranging from red with orange mottling to entirely dark purple, with a red to purple peristome. The glaucous inner surface also ranges from red to purple. The pitcher body of upper traps is glossy and yellowish-cream throughout, contrasting heavily against the red peristome and lid. In some specimens the upper pitchers are highly translucent, such that the contents of the pitcher is clearly visible from the outside.[4]
Minor differences have also been noted in the extent of the indumentum. Much like the type specimen, plants at the new locality bear brownish hairs up to 0.5 mm long on developing pitchers. However, they deviate from the type specimen in that these hairs persist conspicuously on mature lower pitchers and their tendrils. The plants are otherwise glabrous.[4]
No floral parts have been observed at the new site and it has been suggested that the plants may only flower infrequently or seasonally.[4]
Ecology
Nepenthes pitopangii is
At the type locality, the single specimen of N. pitopangii is found in
The population discovered in 2011 consists of around a dozen plants growing at 1400 m altitude in patchy, exposed,
Nepenthes pitopangii is
Despite growing in a
Related species
Nepenthes pitopangii appears to be most closely related to N.glabrata, a highland species also endemic to Sulawesi but not recorded from the local area. While the stem, laminae, and lower pitchers of these species are very similar, the markedly different upper pitcher morphology means that they are unlikely to be confused. The aerial pitchers of N. glabrata are far more elongated than those of N. pitopangii and have well-developed wings.[3]
The upper pitchers of N. pitopangii may bear a superficial resemblance to those of N. eymae, N. flava, N. inermis, N. jacquelineae, N. talangensis, N. tenuis, and certain forms of N. maxima. However, N. pitopangii may be distinguished from all of these species on the basis of its laminae, lower pitcher shape, and the size and shape of the lid, which lacks appendages.[3]
Despite there being only a very small number of known N. pitopangii specimens, the taxon is not thought to be of hybridogenic origin.[3][4] It is unlikely to be a natural hybrid involving N. glabrata since the closest known population of that species is more than 50 km from the type locality of N. pitopangii.[3] The only other Nepenthes from Sulawesi that produce infundibular upper pitchers are N. eymae and some forms of N. maxima. However, all recorded natural hybrids with these species exhibit petiolate leaves and typically have triangular lids with appendages on their lower surface.[3]
References
- . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Lee, C.C., S. McPherson, G. Bourke & M. Mansur 2009. Nepenthes pitopangii (Nepenthaceae), a new species from central Sulawesi, Indonesia. The Gardens' Bulletin Singapore 61(1): 95–100.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab McPherson, S.R. 2009. Pitcher Plants of the Old World. 2 volumes. Redfern Natural History Productions, Poole.
- ^ New Nepenthes: Volume One. Redfern Natural History Productions, Poole. pp. 506–515.
- ^ a b c Newman, J. 2006. Sulawesi Neps Part Three - save the best till last.... Carnivorous Plants UK, October 19, 2006.
- ^ Primaldhi, A. 2008. Sp Sulawesi Archived 2011-07-15 at the Wayback Machine. Carnivorous Plants in the tropics, January 26, 2008.
- ^ a b New Species - Nepenthes pitopangii Archived 2011-07-15 at the Wayback Machine. Redfern Natural History Productions.
- ^ Pitopang, R. 2009. Some New Records of Flowering Plant were Discovered. Ramadanilpitopang’s Blog, February 24, 2009.
- ^ a b c Nepenthes pitopangii Chi.C.Lee, S.McPherson, Bourke & M.Mansur. International Plant Names Index (IPNI).
- ^ Field Guide to the Pitcher Plants of Sulawesi. Redfern Natural History Productions, Poole.