Nepenthes macfarlanei

Synonymy

Nepenthes macfarlanei Hemsl. in Proc. Linn. Soc. 117: 12. 1905 sec. Cheek & Jebb 2001

Lectotype: Peninsular Malaysia, Perak, nearly on top of G. Bubu, alt. 4800-5300 ft, 1885, King’s Collector 7421 (K)
Isotype: Peninsular Malaysia, Perak, nearly on top of G. Bubu, alt. 4800-5300 ft, 1885, King’s Collector 7421 (K)

Content

Other sources

Jebb, M. H. P. & Cheek, M. R. 1997: A skeletal revision of Nepenthes. – Blumea 42(1): 1-106: 57

Shivas, R. G. 1984: Pitcher Plants of Peninsula Malaysia & Singapore. – Singapore: Maruzen Asia: 35

Danser, B. H. 1928: – Bull. Jard. Bot. Buitenzorg, sér. 3, 9: 323

Hooker, J.D. 1906: Hooker''s Icones Plantarum: 29, t. 2814, 2815

Description

Terrestrial, sometimes epiphytic, climber to 3 m tall. Stems obtusely angular, 3.5-6.5 mm diam. Leaves coriaceous, sessile, blade oblong or narrowly elliptic-oblanceolate, apex rounded to acute, base cuneate, clasping the stem for 1/2-3/4 its circumference, auriculate, auricles 2-4 mm wide, shortly decurrent for 3-4 mm at an angle of 45°; basal rosette leaves not seen; leaves of short stems subspathulate, ± 15.5-35 by 1.8-4 cm; leaves of climbing stems shorter and more oblong, 4-10.5(-11.9) by 1.5-2.3(-2.7) cm. Longitudinal nerves 3 or 4 on each side of the midrib in the marginal 2/3 of the blade, obscure except in lower leaves. Pennate nerves numerous, at 50-90° from the midrib, overlapping the longitudinal nerves. Lower pitchers ovoid or broadly cylindrical and slightly ventricose, 13-15 by 6-8 cm, with two fringed wings 3-4 mm broad, fringed elements 5-7 mm long, 3-5 mm apart; mouth ovate, acute near lid, oblique, at ± 45° to the pitcher axis, concave; peristome flattened, 5-10 mm wide, ribs conspicuous, 0.5 mm apart, interspersed with 10 striae, outer edge not sinuate, inner edge with teeth 0.7-1.25 mm long; lid suborbicular, usually oblate, 5.5-5.7 by 5.7-7 cm, apex rounded, base ± deeply cordate, lower surface appendages absent, nectar glands numerous, round to elliptic, crater-like, 0.5-0.7 mm diam., each with a low, thin pale margin; spur flattened, 8-20 mm long, apex entire or divided into 2 or 3 lobes each c. 2 mm long. Upper pitchers as the lower but slightly infundibulate and abruptly contracted immediately below the peristome, rarely infundibulate in the lower half and constricted, then cylindrical in the upper, 9-14(-18) cm high, 1.8-2 cm wide at the base, 4-4.7 cm wide below the peristome, with two ribs < 1 mm wide; mouth horizontal at front, abruptly vertical at lid end; peristome flattened, 1-10 mm wide, ribs 0.3-0.6 mm apart, c. 0.5 mm high, outer edge entire, inner edge with teeth 1 mm long; lid broadly ovate, often broader than long, 2.4-5.5 by 2.7-5.5 cm, apex rounded, base cordate, lower surface with nectar glands crater-like, orbicular, (0.3-)0.4-0.6(-1.25) mm wide; spur ± 4 mm long. Male inflorescence 14-26 cm long; peduncle 8-13 cm long; partial peduncles 30-40, 2-flowered, 2-5 mm long; bracts 1.5-3 mm long; pedicels ± 6 mm long; tepals oblong, ± 4 by 2.5 mm; androphore 2-3 mm long; anther head 1-1.5 mm wide. Fruit valves 14.5-20 mm long. Seeds fusiform, ± 12 mm long, tuberculate at centre. Indumentum of stem and leaves lacking, except midrib and young stem with dense, stout, erect, white or red hairs, 0.2-0.3 mm long, sparsely branched; pitchers with appressed simple white or coppery hairs 1 mm long, or glabrous; inflorescence axis with appressed simple copper-coloured hairs. Colour of lower leaf brown when dry; pitchers pale green, often the upper half white or cream, mottled with red, sometimes the whole purplish red with darker blotches; inner surface waxy white with red blotches; lowers pale green, red or waxy brownA

Notes

Nepenthes macfarlanei is immediately recognisable by the presence of bristles on the underside of the lid, seen in no other species of Peninsular Malaysia. The upper pitchers are unusual in the way they are abruptly contracted at the mouth. Other features are that the peristome is flattened, and developed into a short column at the apex, the inner part of which is markedly toothed. The lower pitchers may be on tendrils up to 90 cm long.
Danser in Bull. Jard. Bot. Buitenzorg III, 9 (1928) 323 has already pointed out that some collections appear intermediate between N. macfarlanei and N. gracillima or N. sanguinea (see N. gracillima for notes).A

Distribution (General)

Peninsular Malaysia (Perak, Selangor, Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Malaka).A

Habitat

Mountain ridges, usually in shady sites on mossy banks; 1000-2150 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

Specimens

	Country	Date	Collector + collecting number	Herbaria	Type	Scan	Derivatives
		1885	King’s Collector 7421	K(2)
	Citation: Peninsular Malaysia, Perak, nearly on top of G. Bubu, alt. 4800-5300 ft, 1885, King’s Collector 7421 Specimen summary: K Lectotype of Nepenthes macfarlanei Hemsl.