Nepenthes mindanaoensis

Nepenthes mindanaoensis

Synonymy

Nepenthes mindanaoensis Sh.Kurata in J. Insectiv. Pl. Soc. 52(2): 32 (-34; fig. 2). 2001 sec. Kurata 2001

    Description

    Climbing, strangling or trailing branched stems upt to 6 m long.
    The lamina is elliptic or lanceolate, up to 25 cm long and 6 cm wide. The apex of the leaf is acute or narrowly obtuse, the base obtuse or rounded and always petiolate. The distinctive petiole is up to 10 cm long and tubulate to canaliculate. The petiole and leaf shape are the main characteristics distinguishing this species from N. alata and other closely related species. The lamina is often vivid green, the stem and tendrils may be yellow, green, orange or bright red, and the midrib is yellow or green. The tendrils, pitchers and undersides of the leaves are lined with short, orangey brown hairs up to 1.5 mm long. The margins of the leaves are often lined with soft brown hairs 3-5 mm long.
    Lower pitchers are produced only briefly by young plants, prior to the production of a climbing stem. The lower traps are up to 15 cm tall and 3.5 cm wide. The bottom quarter to third of the pitcher is ovate or globose. Above this part, the width narrows, sometimes forming a slight hip, thereafter becoming cylindrical or infundibular towards the pitcher opening. Wings up to 10 mm wide, sparsely fringed with filaments up to 8 mm long, run down the front of the pitcher. The peristome is 3-10 mm wide, and is narrow and cylindrical at the front of the pitcher opening, but flattened and expanded at the sides and below the lid. The peristome is lined with ribs up to 0.5 mm high, spaced up to 0.65 mm apart, but these may be hardly discernable. The lid is elliptic or ovate, often with a cordate base, up to 4 cm long and 3 cm wide, occasionally with a small crest near its base. The spur is up to 12 mm long and is unbranched.
    The exterior of the lower pitcher is usually yellowish green, but may be orange, pinkish, red or purple, occasionally mottled with faint, dark red or purple blotches. The interior of the pitcher is creamy white or yellowish green, rarely flecked with faint purple on the interior. The peristome may be pure yellow, orange, pink, red, or purple, and is often bright and vividly coloured. The lid is generally the same colour as the exterior of the pitcher, often decorated with dark red or purple flecks on its upper surface.
    The upper pitchers are up to 26 cm tall and 6 cm wide. The bottom third to quarter of the trap is typically ovate and globose, sometimes almost entirely spherical. Above this part, the width of the pitcher narrows, sometimes forming a slight hip, and becoming cylindrical or infundibular towards the pitcher opening. Wings may be present as in the lower pitchers, reduced to narrow ridges, or entirely absent. All other parts are similar to the lower pitchers, except for the lid, which is up to 6 cm long and 5 cm wide.
    The colouration of the upper pitchers is particularly striking and often very beautiful. The exterior of the pitcher may be creamy white, yellow, green, orange, pink, red or purple, and is typically mottled with dark red, dark purple or black blotches or stripes. The interior of the trap is creamy white or light yellow, often flecked with faint purple or black. The peristome may be bright yellow, orange, red, dark purple or black, rarely streaked with red or purple. The lid is generally the same colour as the exterior of the pitcher, often with dark red or purple flecks on its upper surface. Sometimes the lid is entirely purple or black.
    Insufficient observations of N. mindanaoensis have been made to document the structure of its inflorescences. Generelly, the rachis of the female inflorescence seems to be longer than that of the male – one third of the total length versus one quarter – with flowers more loosely arranged on longer pedicels. Further studies of the floral parts of this species are required.A

    Distribution (General)

    Philippines, Mindanao and Dinagat.A

    Habitat

    In lowland heath forest, degraded or recovering secondary vegetation, on exposed cliffsides and landslide areas, in clearings in lowland dipterocarp forest and in lower montane forest; mostly at 0 - 800 m, occasionally up to 1400 m a.s.l.A

    Bibliography

    A. McPherson, S. R. 2009: Pitcher Plants of the Old World 2. – Poole: Redfern Natural History Productions