Nepenthes glandulifera

Nepenthes glandulifera

Synonymy

Nepenthes glandulifera Chi.C.Lee in Sandakania 15: 95 (-98; figs.). 2004 sec. McPherson 2009: 352-356

    Description

    Stems up to 3 m long, scrambling or climbing through surrounding vegetation.
    The leaf is oblong or elliptic, up to 25 cm long and 9 cm wide. The apex of the leaf is abruptly contracted or rounded and sometimes acuminate. The base of the lamina is attenuate, petiolate and clasps the stem. The petiole is winged and up to 7 cm long. The lamina is bright green and shiny. The stem, midrib and tendril are yellow-green, orange, red or brown. Large, conspicuous, black nectar glands up to 2 mm across are present in great abundance on the stem, petiole, midrib and tendrils, and also occur on the exterior of the pitchers, especially towards the base, and on parts of the inflorescence. The glands secrete copious amounts of nectar which gives the plants a sweet smell. Except for the upper and lower surfaces of the leaf, all parts of the plant are densely covered with soft, yellow-brown hairs up to 9 mm long.
    Lower pitchers are produced for a relatively brief period in the life cycle of this species, and generally only by seedlings and young plants prior to the production of a climbing stem. They are up to 13 cm tall and 3 cm wide, and are wholly cylindrical or narrowly infundibular. The bottom half of the lower pitcher is often slightly swollen. Wings up to 5 mm wide run down the front of the trap and are sparsely fringed with narrow filaments up to 8 mm long. The peristome is cylindrical, up to 6 mm wide and lined with fine ribs up to 0.2 mm high, spaced up to 0.3 mm apart. The peristome is of a consistent width around the margin of the pitcher opening. The lid is orbicular or very slightly ovate, with a cordate base, up to 3 cm wide, 2.8 cm long, and lacks a basal appendage. The spur is reduced to a small pubescent bump up to 2 mm long.
    The exterior of the lower pitcher is yellow-green or flushed orange and typically mottled with long, dark purple or black blotches. The interior of the pitcher is light yellow or cream coloured, often marked with small purple flecks. The peristome is dark red or purple and the lid is yellow-orange and heavily striped with dark purple.
    The upper pitchers are wholly infundibular, up to 19 cm tall and 5.5 cm wide. The wings are reduced to narrow ridges that run down the front of the trap or may be hardly discernible at all. The peristome is cylindrical, up to 15 mm wide and slightly expanded towards the sides and back of the pitcher opening. The peristome is lined with fine ribs up to 0.4 mm high, spaced up to 0.4 mm apart, and curves down into the pitcher opening for a few millimetres along its inner margin. The lid is up to 5 cm long and 5 cm wide, but otherwise is similar to that of the lower traps. The spur is reduced to a small pubescent bump up to 2 mm long.
    The upper pitchers are bright yellow, frequently suffused orange and pink, and usually mottled with prominent, long, dark red blotches. The peristome is pink, red or purple, often striped with bands of dark red or purple. The interior of the pitcher is light yellow or cream and decorated with angular, dark purple flecks. The lid is light yellow, tinged orange or pink, and heavily marked with dark red and purple flecks.
    The inflorescence is a raceme, to 70 cm long by 5.5 cm at the widest point. The peduncle is up to 30 cm long and covered with scattered raised black glands, the rachis to 40 cm long. Flowers are borne on predominantly 2-flowered partial peduncles, to 7 mm long, with filiform bracts 8-11 mm long situated 1-3 mm from the base of each pedicel, pedicels to 13 mm long. Tepals are ovate, 6-7 mm long, and the anther head is borne on a column up to 3 mm long. Fruits are up to 35 mm long.A

    Notes

    This species is most closely related to N. pilosa Dans. (sensu Jebb & Cheek 2001) by the nature of the indumentum, leaf shape, and stem. However, it differs from that species most significantly in that it lacks a hook-shaped basal lid appendage and by the presence of prominent bracts on the partial peduncles. Moreover, the pitchers of N. glandulifera are completely rounded in cross-section, whereas those of N. pilosa tend to be laterally compressed. The occurrence of N. pilosa (S 87432) on the same mountain without any apparent introgression between these taxa is also significant. A hybrid origin for N. glandulifera is doubtful as there are no possible parental species which would contribute to this combination of characteristics, nor indeed are there any species in Sarawak which possess such large intrafoliar bracts.
    The very abundant large black glands which can be found on most surfaces of the plant (except on the leaves) are a conspicuous feature of this species (see Fig. 3). Plants in cultivation exude from these glands copious amounts of sticky nectar that accumulate on the petiole and outer surface of the pitcher. Living pitchers of N. glandulifera smell strongly of sweet nectar and this might aid in the attraction of insect prey.B

    Distribution (General)

    Malaysia, Borneo, Sarawak, Hose Mountains, Gun Bato, Kapit Division.B

    Etymology

    The specific epithet is derived from the Latin glandis (gland) and ferre (to bear) and refers to the many large, black nectar glands taht punctuate almost all aerial surfaces of this plant. A

    Habitat

    Terrestrial in stunted, mossy , montane forest and scrub on ridge tops; 1100-1700 m a.s.l.A

    Bibliography

    A. McPherson, S. R. 2009: Pitcher Plants of the Old World 1. – Poole: Redfern Natural History Productions
    B. Lee, C.C. 2004: New records and a new species of Nepenthes (Nepenthaceae) from Sarawak. – Sandakania 15: 93-101