Nepenthes tomoriana
Synonymy
Nepenthes tomoriana in Bull. Jard. Bot. Buitenzorg, sér. 3, 9: 384, f. 24. 1928 sec. Cheek & Jebb 2001
- Lectotype: Sulawesi, Gulf of Tomori, G. Kolonodale, Sep 1913, Rachmat 645 (BO)
- Isotype: Sulawesi, Gulf of Tomori, G. Kolonodale, Sep 1913, Rachmat 645 (BO)
- Isotype: Sulawesi, Gulf of Tomori, G. Kolonodale, Sep 1913, Rachmat 645 (L)
Description
Terrestrial climber to 5 m tall. Stems terete, those of rosettes 3-4 mm diam., internodes c. 10 mm long; short shoots c. 5 mm diam., internodes c. 6 cm long; climbing stems 3.5-5 mm diam., internodes 2.5-6.3 cm long, axillary buds broadly conical, 0.5 mm long, 0.6-1.2 cm above the axil. Leaves chartaceous, weakly petiolate to subsessile, clasping the stem for half its circumference, not sheathing; rosette leaves oblanceolate, 7-9 by 1.8-2.7 cm, apex obtuse, not peltate, base attenuate-decurrent, 0.2-0.4 cm wide; short stem leaves weakly petiolate, narrowly oblong-lanceolate, 18-22 by 3.5-4.5 cm, apex acute, base attenuate, petiole 4-6.5 by 0.5 cm, winged; leaves of climbing shoots subsessile to weakly petiolate, narrowly oblong-ligulate to narrowly oblanceolate- elliptic, 10-12 by 1.5-3 cm, apex acute, base attenuate, subsessile or with a broadly winged petiole 4-7 by 0.6-0.7 cm. Longitudinal nerves 4 (or 5) on each side of the midrib in the outer 3/4, conspicuous above. Pennate nerves arising obliquely from the midrib, becoming more or less patent at junction with longitudinal nerves, reaching the margin, conspicuous above. Lower pitchers of rosettes ellipsoid, 5-8.5 cm tall, 2.5-4.5 cm broad, with two fringed wings 5-8 mm broad, fringed elements clustered in 2s, 3s or 4s, 6-7 mm long, groups c. 1 mm apart; mouth ovate, oblique, concave, column ill-defined, peristome rounded, 2 mm wide, ribs fairly conspicuous, 0.5 mm apart, with striae in between, outer edge entire, revolute, inner edge parallel to the pitcher wall, c. 4 mm long, with teeth 0.5 mm long; lid orbicular to transversely elliptic, 1.6-2.2 by 2-2.5 cm, apex rounded to truncate, base cordate, lower surface lacking appendages, nectar glands orbicular, sunken, not bordered, 0.1(-0.2) mm diam., evenly scattered over the lid; spur entire, 4-6 by 0.75 mm, apex rounded. Lower pitchers of short stems elliptic-subcylindrical, 11.5-12.5 by 4.5-5.5 cm, wings up to 8 mm broad, abruptly arrested 2 cm from the base; mouth with a short, toothed column c. 7 mm tall, peristome 5 mm broad; lid 3.5 by 3.7 cm. Upper pitchers subcylindrical, slightly infundibuliform to ‘hipped’: lower half slightly ellipsoid, upper half cylindrical, (6-)7.5-9 by (1.5-)2-2.4(-2.6) cm, lacking fringed wings, but with two ridges, highly pronounced and subwing-like in the lower half; mouth orbicular, slightly oblique and concave, column absent; peristome cylindrical, 1-2 mm broad, ribs inconspicuous, 0.3 mm apart, the outer edge entire, inner with teeth inconspicuous; lid (1.2-)1.5-1.8(-2) by (1.6-) 2-2.5 cm, lower surface lacking appendages, with nectar glands circular, sunken or bor-dered, 0.1-0.2 mm diam.; spur 2-3 mm long. Male inflorescence 24-38 by 3.5-4 cm; peduncle 7-14 cm long, 2 mm diam. at base; partial peduncles 30-35, 3- or 4-flowered, 7-10(-14) mm long with bract at apex; bract patent, 2-3.5 mm long; partial-rhachis up to 3 mm long; pedicels 3.5-5 mm long; tepals obovate, 3-3.5 by 2.5-3 mm; androphore 1-1.5 mm long; anther head 1 by 1.4 mm. Infructescence 30-43 by 6.5-7.5 cm; peduncle 10-14 cm long, 4 mm diam. at base; valves 15-18 by 2.5-4 mm. Seed fusiform, 14 by 0.4 mm. Indumentum absent from stem and leaf apart from sessile red glands 0.1 mm diam.; pitcher inconspicuously puberulous with minute orange-brown stellate hairs 0.1-0.2 mm diam., tendril and inflorescence bearing pitcher indumentum admixed with patent, simple hairs 0.5 mm long. Colour of leaves when dry brown below. Live pitchers pale green, with red blotches on the inside and on the peristome, lid with purple blotches; male flowers with green tepals; ovary brown; flowers murky red, orange-brown or green.A
Notes
Nepenthes tomoriana is unlikely to be confused with any other species within its range. It is the only paniculate species (i.e. partial peduncles bearing more than two flowers) known from Sulawesi. It is distinguished from the similar N. danseri of Waigeo Island, by the more numerous and smaller lid glands, and the presence of a bract on the partial peduncles.
The lower pitchers, rosette and short stem leaves of this species have only recently been discovered (Kofman 112, 113), and show remarkable similarities with those of N. bellii of Mindanao: the globular shape of the pitcher which dries a characteristic red-brown, the broad wings with fringed elements grouped in clusters, the inner edge of the peristome descending parallel to the pitcher wall and terminating in small, straight teeth, the orbicular to transversely elliptic lid which lacks a midrib, and a lower surface with a ceramic luster and very small, deeply sunken, sparsely scattered nectar glands are held in common by both species. Nepenthes bellii may have derived from the eastern paniculate group of species despite having 1-flowered partial peduncles.A
The lower pitchers, rosette and short stem leaves of this species have only recently been discovered (Kofman 112, 113), and show remarkable similarities with those of N. bellii of Mindanao: the globular shape of the pitcher which dries a characteristic red-brown, the broad wings with fringed elements grouped in clusters, the inner edge of the peristome descending parallel to the pitcher wall and terminating in small, straight teeth, the orbicular to transversely elliptic lid which lacks a midrib, and a lower surface with a ceramic luster and very small, deeply sunken, sparsely scattered nectar glands are held in common by both species. Nepenthes bellii may have derived from the eastern paniculate group of species despite having 1-flowered partial peduncles.A
Distribution (General)
C Sulawesi.A
Habitat
Open scrub-land on ultramafic soils, occasionally in mangrove swamps; sea level to 400 m.A
