Nepenthes maxima

Within its natural range (Sulawesi to New Guinea), N. maxima is only likely to be confused with two other species: N. klossii and N. eymae. All have lids with two (rarely one) appendage (best seen in upper pitchers), well-defined petioles, leaves with irregular pennate nerves, spike-like axillary buds, 2-flowered partial peduncles and dense, long, patent indumentum. Nepenthes eymae of Sulawesi is distinguished by its more broadly infundibuliform upper pitchers and N. klossii of western New Guinea differs in its lateral pitcher mouth. Nepenthes maxima is also closely related to N. fusca of Borneo which is distinguished by the narrowly triangular lid of the upper pitchers. References to N. maxima occurring in Borneo are erroneous and usually refer to N. fusca. The foregoing species, united by the characters mentioned above, are all part of Danser’s Regiae group in Bull. Jard. Bot. Buitenzorg III 9 (1928) 405 which we maintain, including N. clipeata, N. faizaliana, N. pilosa, N. stenophylla, and N. truncata.
Nepenthes maxima is a widespread and very variable species. The upper pitchers range greatly in form, from narrowly cylindrical to strongly infundibulate. In some populations the upper pitchers are winged along their entire length, resembling the rosette pitchers. In others the lower pitchers are ovoid throughout while the upper pitchers vary from slender and cylindrical to markedly infundibulate.
Nepenthes curtisii Mast. has been the subject of much enquiry and speculation as to its origin and identity. It was formerly thought to be based only on cultivated material grown from seed at Veitch’s nurseries after collection by Curtis, according to the protologue, from Borneo. Accordingly, we lectoypified this name on cultivated material ex Veitch at K, citing it as “Curtis s.n. (K) cultivated ex Borneo” (Jebb & Cheek 1997). However, this material was pressed after publication of the species name and there is no evidence that it was seen by the name’s author, nor that it had come from Curtis. This choice is overturned by the discovery of the specimen selected above to replace it as lectotype, namely Curtis 426 (K). We had passed over this specimen since the original field label, hastily written in faint pencil, does not bear a collector’s name, though a later annotation says “?Curtis”. Nor are country or date indicated on the label. However, the original handwriting does match that in letters from Curtis in the archives at K and the locality indicated on the label is the colonial Dutch spelling prevalent in the 1880s for a mountain (G. Sopoetan = G. Soputan) in the northern arm of Sulawesi from which general area similar material of N. maxima is known. Curtis visited Sulawesi in 1881-1882 (TL-2). The citation of ‘Borneo’ in the protologue was probably a deliberate attempt by Veitch’s to mislead rival nurseries: a common practice at that time, especially with orchids. This ruse has misled botanists for over a century. A third hand on the label of the specimen, identifying it as N. curtisii Mast. is that of Masters. Unfortunately Masters does not date his annotation.