Nepenthes surigaoensis
Synonymy
Nepenthes surigaoensis in Leafl. Philipp. Bot. 8: 2785 (-2787). 1915 [The specific epithet refers to the Surigao Peninsula in northern Mindanao, from where this species was first collected.B]. sec. McPherson 2009
- Type: Philippines, Mindanao, Agusan Province, Mt Urdaneta, alt. 1700 m, Sep 1912, A.D.E. Elmer 13705 p.p. (PNH†?)
Description
Climbing or scrambling occosionally branced stem up to 5 m long.
The lamina is linear or slightly lanceolate, up to 40 cm long and 5 cm wide. The apex of the leaf is acute or obtuse, the base is slightly attenuate, with a winged petiole that becomes strongly decurrent. Much like N. merrilliana, the tip of the lamina often meets the tendril unequally on either side of the midrib; one side may be up to 4 mm shorter than the other. The lamina may also be slightly broader on one side of the midrib than on the other. The stem and tendril are green or yellow and the midrib is green, yellow or very light orange (particularly close to the stem). The lamina is green, including when young which possibly distinguishes this species from N. merrilliana (Volker Heinrich, pers. comm.). In most mature N. surigaoensis plants on Mount Masay, the pitchers and tendrils are usually lined with coarse orange or brown hairs up to 1.8 mm long. It is not known whether this indumentum is a consistent characteristic of this species, but is has been identified in all specimens observed thus far. Most other parts of the foliage are predominantly glabrous.
The lower pitchers are wholly cylindrical or ellipsoidal, generally up to 16 cm tall and 7.5 cm wide, although exceptionally robust pitchers may rarely be 24 cm tall and 9 cm wide. In some plants, the bottom half of the pitcher may be slightly swollen and expanded, and the top half may gradually taper towards the pitcher opening. Wings up to 20 mm wide, fringed with filaments up to 16 mm long, run down the front of the lower pitchers. The peristome is loosely cylindrical, up to 2.5 cm wide, and is expanded towards the sides and back of the pitcher opening. The peristome is lined with ribs up to 1.5 mm high, spaced up to 2 mm apart. The ribs are elongated on the inner edge of the peristome to form very narrow, needle-like teeth up to 2.5 mm long. The peristome is slightly raised and elongated into a short column just below the lid. The outer margin of the peristome is recurved and sometimes slightly crenellated, and the inner margin extends into the pitcher opening for several millimetres. A gap of a few millimetres is often present at the rear of the peristome, below the lid. The lid is elliptic or ovate, up to 8 cm long, 6 cm wide, and lacks an appendage. The spur is unbranched and up 22 mm long. The exterior of the lower pitchers is typically yellow, green or light orange, but may suffuse pure red as the pitchers age. The interior of the trap is yellow or orange, often marked with prominent, angular, red, purple or black blotches. The peristome is usually yellow or green, but may turn orange, red or purple with age. The lid is generally the same colour as the exterior of the pitcher. Lower pitchers are borne on extremely long tendrils up to 120 cm in length.
The upper pitchers are up to 15 cm tall and 6.5 cm wide, but usually smaller. The bottom third to half of the pitcher is broadly infundibular, becoming cylindrical and slightly swollen above. Wings up to 15 mm wide, fringed with filaments up to 13 mm long, run down the front of the upper pitchers. All other parts are consistent with the lower pitchers, except that the peristome is not usually crenellated. The upper pitchers are generally yellowish green, but may be faintly blotched with red or purple on the interior of the trap.
The inflorescence is a raceme, to 40 cm long by 6 cm at the widest point. The peduncle is up to 18 cm long, the rachis to 25 cm long. Flowers are borne on predominantly 2-flowered partial peduncles to 8 mm, the first flowers with narrow bracts, on pedicels to 16 mm long. Tepals are oblong, 5 mm long, and may be of unequal width. The anther head is borne on a column up to 6 mm long and 1 mm in diameter.A
The lamina is linear or slightly lanceolate, up to 40 cm long and 5 cm wide. The apex of the leaf is acute or obtuse, the base is slightly attenuate, with a winged petiole that becomes strongly decurrent. Much like N. merrilliana, the tip of the lamina often meets the tendril unequally on either side of the midrib; one side may be up to 4 mm shorter than the other. The lamina may also be slightly broader on one side of the midrib than on the other. The stem and tendril are green or yellow and the midrib is green, yellow or very light orange (particularly close to the stem). The lamina is green, including when young which possibly distinguishes this species from N. merrilliana (Volker Heinrich, pers. comm.). In most mature N. surigaoensis plants on Mount Masay, the pitchers and tendrils are usually lined with coarse orange or brown hairs up to 1.8 mm long. It is not known whether this indumentum is a consistent characteristic of this species, but is has been identified in all specimens observed thus far. Most other parts of the foliage are predominantly glabrous.
The lower pitchers are wholly cylindrical or ellipsoidal, generally up to 16 cm tall and 7.5 cm wide, although exceptionally robust pitchers may rarely be 24 cm tall and 9 cm wide. In some plants, the bottom half of the pitcher may be slightly swollen and expanded, and the top half may gradually taper towards the pitcher opening. Wings up to 20 mm wide, fringed with filaments up to 16 mm long, run down the front of the lower pitchers. The peristome is loosely cylindrical, up to 2.5 cm wide, and is expanded towards the sides and back of the pitcher opening. The peristome is lined with ribs up to 1.5 mm high, spaced up to 2 mm apart. The ribs are elongated on the inner edge of the peristome to form very narrow, needle-like teeth up to 2.5 mm long. The peristome is slightly raised and elongated into a short column just below the lid. The outer margin of the peristome is recurved and sometimes slightly crenellated, and the inner margin extends into the pitcher opening for several millimetres. A gap of a few millimetres is often present at the rear of the peristome, below the lid. The lid is elliptic or ovate, up to 8 cm long, 6 cm wide, and lacks an appendage. The spur is unbranched and up 22 mm long. The exterior of the lower pitchers is typically yellow, green or light orange, but may suffuse pure red as the pitchers age. The interior of the trap is yellow or orange, often marked with prominent, angular, red, purple or black blotches. The peristome is usually yellow or green, but may turn orange, red or purple with age. The lid is generally the same colour as the exterior of the pitcher. Lower pitchers are borne on extremely long tendrils up to 120 cm in length.
The upper pitchers are up to 15 cm tall and 6.5 cm wide, but usually smaller. The bottom third to half of the pitcher is broadly infundibular, becoming cylindrical and slightly swollen above. Wings up to 15 mm wide, fringed with filaments up to 13 mm long, run down the front of the upper pitchers. All other parts are consistent with the lower pitchers, except that the peristome is not usually crenellated. The upper pitchers are generally yellowish green, but may be faintly blotched with red or purple on the interior of the trap.
The inflorescence is a raceme, to 40 cm long by 6 cm at the widest point. The peduncle is up to 18 cm long, the rachis to 25 cm long. Flowers are borne on predominantly 2-flowered partial peduncles to 8 mm, the first flowers with narrow bracts, on pedicels to 16 mm long. Tepals are oblong, 5 mm long, and may be of unequal width. The anther head is borne on a column up to 6 mm long and 1 mm in diameter.A
Distribution (General)
Philippines, MindanaoA
Habitat
Terrestrial in shady, lower montane forest, from 800 - 1200 (-1700) m a.s.l.A
Specimens
| Country | Date | Collector + collecting number | Herbaria | Type | Scan | Derivatives | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1912-09 | Elmer, A.D.E. 13705 p.p. | PNH†? |  | ||||
| Citation: Philippines, Mindanao, Agusan Province, Mt Urdaneta, alt. 1700 m, Sep 1912, A.D.E. Elmer 13705 p.p. Specimen summary: PNH†? Type for: Nepenthes surigaoensis Elmer | |||||||