Nepenthes danseri

Nepenthes danseri

Synonymy

Nepenthes danseri Jebb & Cheek in Blumea 42(1): 30, f. 3. 1997 [The species was named in honour of Benedictus Danser (1891-1943), whose taxonomic studies of this genus are without parallel.B]. sec. Cheek & Jebb 2001 wfo-0000381951
      Holotype: Indonesia, New Guinea, West Papua, Waigeo Island, Go village, alt. 100 m, 8 Sep 1992, M.H.P. Jebb 989 (K; isotypes: BO, BRI, CANB, L, LAE, MAN)

Description

Terrestrial shrub or climber 0.3-4 m tall. Stem terete, 0.3-0.9 cm diam., internodes of climbing stems 0.5-2.5 cm long. Leaves thinly coriaceous, petiolate, those of climbing stems with leaf blade broadly to narrowly elliptic; 6-11.5 by 2-4.3 cm; rosette leaf blade sometimes very reduced; apex acute to rounded, base tapering to a winged petiole; petiole 1.5-4 cm long, amplexicaul, clasping the stem by half its circumference, or rarely decurrent to 1.5 cm below the node, with the two margins becoming united on the opposite side of the stem. Leaves of short stems with blades narrowly lanceolate, 1.5-9.5 by 0.5-2.5 cm; petioles 0.5-2 cm, sheathing at the base. Longitudinal nerves 4-8 on each side of the midrib, mostly arising from base, but sometimes 1 or 2 arising from midrib, spread throughout width of the leaf blade, fairly conspicuous. Pennate nerves numerous, arising obliquely and curving towards the margin, less distinct than the longitudinal nerves. Lower pitchers ovoid in lower 2/3, cylindrical towards mouth, and broadening there, 4.5-10 by 1.8-2.7 cm, with 2 fringed wings c. 0.5 cm broad, fringe elements 0.5-1.5 mm long, c. 0.5 mm apart; mouth oblique, straight, ovate-elliptic; peristome cylindrical, 0.5-2 mm wide, ribs c. 0.3 mm apart, barely perceptible, outer edge entire, inner edge with triangular teeth c. 0.5 mm long; lid elliptic to orbicular, 2-3.5 by 2.1-3 cm; apex rounded, base truncate to cordate, lower surface lacking appendages, nectar glands 15-50, thinly bordered, 0.2-0.7 mm wide, most numerous towards midline of lid; spur 1-1.5 mm long, stout, apex rounded. Upper pitchers narrowly ovoid in lower half, gradually narrowing towards mouth, but widening again at c. 2/3 its length, upper 1/3 narrowly infundibuliform, 9-13.5 by 2.2-3.2 cm, with 2 prominent ventral ridges, lacking fringed elements; mouth as in lower pitcher; peristome subcylindrical, 1-3 mm wide, ribs 0.3-0.5 mm apart, 0.1-0.3 mm high; lid as in lower pitcher; spur stout, c. 2 mm long. Male inflorescence 18 cm long; peduncle 10 cm long, 0.2 cm diam. at base; partial peduncles 1-5-flowered, 4-16 mm long; pedicels 3-7 mm long; tepals elliptic, 2 by 1.5 mm; androphore c. 1.5 mm long; anther head sub-globular, 0.5 by 1 mm. Fruit with valves 14-28 by 2.5-4 mm. Seeds fusiform, 11.5 by 0.5 mm. Indumentum sparse and inconspicuous, of appressed, simple bronze hairs c. 0.4 mm long on new parts, lower pitchers, near spur (only upper pitchers), dense on inflorescences, and midribs of new leaves. Colour of stems reddish; leaves yellowish green, occasionally lower leaves maroon; midrib and tendrils red; lower pitchers green with khaki to brown marbling; upper pitchers greenish yellow to pale green; underside of lid with red streaks; tepals green, red in fruit; fruit olive yellow; indumentum golden-orange.A

Notes

Nepenthes danseri is slender, with a yellowish coloration overall. Other unusual features of this species are the very small blades of the rosette leaves, and the ability of the plants to grow in shade, though they apparently fail to produce pitchers there.
Nepenthes tomoriana from Sulawesi is the only paniculate species with which N. danseri is likely to be confused. Nepenthes danseri is distinguished from it by the lack of a bract on the partial peduncles, and the fewer, larger glands on the lid. The rosette and lower pitchers of N. tomoriana are ellipsoid and much more inflated, 3.5-4 cm wide (not 1.8-2.5 cm), the fringe elements 5-10 mm long (not 0.5-1.5 mm) and grouped in clusters (not evenly spaced); the peristome is 4 mm deep on the inner face (not to 2 mm) with teeth to 7 mm long (not 0.5 mm) and has prominent, ridge-like (not barely perceptible) ribs.A

Distribution (General)

New Guinea (Waigeo Island) and Moluccas (Halmahera).A

Habitat

Most commonly in open scrub or on bare soils on ultramafic rock, also in forest; sea level to 300 m.A

Bibliography

A. Cheek, M. R. & Jebb, M. H. P. 2001: Flora Malesiana - Nepenthaceae, Series I, Volume 15. – Leiden: Nationaal Herbarium Nederland, Universiteit Leiden branch

Images

Specimens

CountryDateCollector + collecting numberHerbariaTypeScanDerivatives
Indonesia8 Sep 1992Jebb, M. H. P. 989BO, BRI, CANB, K, L, LAE, MAN
Citation: Indonesia, New Guinea, West Papua, Waigeo Island, Go village, alt. 100 m, 8 Sep 1992, M.H.P. Jebb 989

Specimen summary: BO
Isotype of Nepenthes danseri Jebb & Cheek

Specimen summary: BRI
Isotype of Nepenthes danseri Jebb & Cheek

Specimen summary: CANB
Isotype of Nepenthes danseri Jebb & Cheek

Specimen summary: K
Holotype of Nepenthes danseri Jebb & Cheek

Specimen summary: L
Isotype of Nepenthes danseri Jebb & Cheek

Specimen summary: LAE
Isotype of Nepenthes danseri Jebb & Cheek

Specimen summary: MAN
Isotype of Nepenthes danseri Jebb & Cheek