Nepenthes saranganiensis
Synonymy
Nepenthes saranganiensis in J. Insectiv. Pl. Soc. 54(2): 41 (-44, fig. 1, photogr. 1-7, cover). Apr 2003 [The specific epithet refers to the fact that this taxon was first discovered in Sarangani Province, southern Mindanao.B]. sec. McPherson 2009
Description
Strict epiphyte. The lamina is linear or occasionally spathulate, especially in young plants, up to 30 cm long and 7 cm wide. The apex of the leaf is acute or obtuse and the base is attenuate, petiolate and strongly decurrent. The petiole is winged and up to 3 cm wide. The wings of the petiole run down the full length of the internode in a distinctive fashion, and often continue partway down the previous internode. The result is that the stem is sequentially punctuated by ribbon-like wings, up to 1.5 cm wide at the leaf axil, that taper over the length of the internode below. Kurata (2003) notes that often the decurrent wings “confluent together at (up to) 2 internodes below the leaf base, forming (Ц shaped) saddles on the stem”. The lamina is green, and the stem, midrib und tendril may be yellow or green. Most parts of the foliage are glabrous.
The morphology of the pitchers is very similar to N. alata. The lower pitchers are up to 18 cm tall and 4.5 cm wide. The bottom quarter to third of the trap is ovate and variably swollen. Above this part, the width of the pitcher narrows, sometimes forming a slight hip, and becomes cylindrical or infundibular towards the pitcher opening. Wings up to 12 mm wide, fringed with filaments up to 10 mm long, usually run down the front of the pitcher, but these may be partly expressed or reduced entirely to narrow ridges. The peristome is up to 11 mm wide, loosely cylindrical or slightly flattened, and is usually of a consistent width around the pitcher opening, sometimes narrowing slightly towards the front. The peristome is lined with ribs up to 0.5 mm high, spaced up to 0.5 mm apart, but these may be hardly discernable. The lid is elliptic or sub-orbicular, up to 5 cm long and 4.5 cm wide. Insufficient observations have been made to comment definitively on the appendage or spur structure, but N. saranganiensis plants which I observed lacked any kind of appendage and had an unbranched spur up to 6 mm long.
The exterior of the lower pitcher is usually yellowish green, but may be orange, pinkish, red or purple, often faintly blotched with red. The interior is creamy white, light, yellowish green or light red, often faintly flecked with red or purple. The peristome may be light yellow, green, orange, pink, red, or purple, and is often striped with bands of red, purple or black. The lid is generally the same colour as the exterior of the pitcher, but the lower surface may be marked with red or purple flecks or, rarely, is entirely red.
The upper pitchers are up to 32 cm tall and 5.5 cm wide. The bottom quarter or fifth of the pitcher is ovate and swollen. Above this part, the width of the pitcher narrows, sometimes forming a slight hip, and becomes cylindrical or infundibular towards the pitcher opening. Wings are usually reduced to narrow ridges that run down the front of the pitcher, or are hardly discernible at all. Sometimes, the wings may be party expressed immediately below the peristome. All other parts are similar to the lower pitchers.
The exterior of the upper pitchers is yellow, green or orange, often heavily blotched with red. The interior of the trap is light yellowish green, often faintly flecked dark red or purple. The peristome may be light yellow, green, orange, pink, red, or purple, and is often striped with bands of red, purple or black. The lid is generally the same colour as the exterior of the pitcher, but the lower surface may be flecked with red or purple, or, rarely, is entirely red.
Insufficient observations of N. saranganiensis have been made to document the structure of its inflorescence. Further studies of the floral parts of this species are required.A
The morphology of the pitchers is very similar to N. alata. The lower pitchers are up to 18 cm tall and 4.5 cm wide. The bottom quarter to third of the trap is ovate and variably swollen. Above this part, the width of the pitcher narrows, sometimes forming a slight hip, and becomes cylindrical or infundibular towards the pitcher opening. Wings up to 12 mm wide, fringed with filaments up to 10 mm long, usually run down the front of the pitcher, but these may be partly expressed or reduced entirely to narrow ridges. The peristome is up to 11 mm wide, loosely cylindrical or slightly flattened, and is usually of a consistent width around the pitcher opening, sometimes narrowing slightly towards the front. The peristome is lined with ribs up to 0.5 mm high, spaced up to 0.5 mm apart, but these may be hardly discernable. The lid is elliptic or sub-orbicular, up to 5 cm long and 4.5 cm wide. Insufficient observations have been made to comment definitively on the appendage or spur structure, but N. saranganiensis plants which I observed lacked any kind of appendage and had an unbranched spur up to 6 mm long.
The exterior of the lower pitcher is usually yellowish green, but may be orange, pinkish, red or purple, often faintly blotched with red. The interior is creamy white, light, yellowish green or light red, often faintly flecked with red or purple. The peristome may be light yellow, green, orange, pink, red, or purple, and is often striped with bands of red, purple or black. The lid is generally the same colour as the exterior of the pitcher, but the lower surface may be marked with red or purple flecks or, rarely, is entirely red.
The upper pitchers are up to 32 cm tall and 5.5 cm wide. The bottom quarter or fifth of the pitcher is ovate and swollen. Above this part, the width of the pitcher narrows, sometimes forming a slight hip, and becomes cylindrical or infundibular towards the pitcher opening. Wings are usually reduced to narrow ridges that run down the front of the pitcher, or are hardly discernible at all. Sometimes, the wings may be party expressed immediately below the peristome. All other parts are similar to the lower pitchers.
The exterior of the upper pitchers is yellow, green or orange, often heavily blotched with red. The interior of the trap is light yellowish green, often faintly flecked dark red or purple. The peristome may be light yellow, green, orange, pink, red, or purple, and is often striped with bands of red, purple or black. The lid is generally the same colour as the exterior of the pitcher, but the lower surface may be flecked with red or purple, or, rarely, is entirely red.
Insufficient observations of N. saranganiensis have been made to document the structure of its inflorescence. Further studies of the floral parts of this species are required.A
Distribution (General)
Philippines, MindanaoA
Habitat
As epiphyte on the mossy branches of tall, lower montane trees, 1800-2100 m a.s.l.A