''Nepenthes spectabilis'' is a tropical

pitcher plant Pitcher plants are carnivorous plants known as pitfall traps—a prey-trapping mechanism featuring a deep cavity filled with digestive liquid. The traps of pitcher plant are considered to be "true" pitcher plants and are formed by specialized ...

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...

Sumatra Sumatra () is one of the Sunda Islands of western Indonesia. It is the largest island that is fully within Indonesian territory, as well as the list of islands by area, sixth-largest island in the world at 482,286.55 km2 (182,812 mi. ...

, where it grows at elevations of between 1,400 and 2,200 m above sea level. The

specific epithet In Taxonomy (biology), taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, both of which use Latin gramm ...

''spectabilis'' is

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

for "visible" or "notable".Clarke, C.M. 2001. ''

Nepenthes of Sumatra and Peninsular Malaysia ''Nepenthes of Sumatra and Peninsular Malaysia'' is a monograph by Charles Clarke on the tropical pitcher plants of Sumatra, Peninsular Malaysia, and their minor surrounding islands. It was published in 2001 by Natural History Publications (Born ...

''. Natural History Publications (Borneo), Kota Kinabalu.

Botanical history

The first known collection of ''N. spectabilis'' was made by Julius August Lörzing in 1920. The specimen ''Lörzing 7308'' was collected on June 5, 1920, on Mount Sibajak at an elevation of 1,800 to 1,900 m. It is deposited at the

Bogor Botanical Gardens The Bogor Botanical Gardens () is a botanical garden located in Bogor, Indonesia, 60 km south of central Jakarta. It is currently operated by the National Research and Innovation Agency. The garden is located in the city center and adjoin the ...

(formerly the Herbarium of the Buitenzorg Botanic Gardens) along with two isotypes which include both male and female floral material. A third isotype, sheet H.L.B. 928.350-170, is held at the

National Herbarium of the Netherlands The National Herbarium of the Netherlands (Dutch language, Dutch: ''Nationaal Herbarium Nederland'') is one of largest herbarium, herbaria in the world with some 5.5 million specimens. It was established in through a decentralized merger of the ma ...

Leiden Leiden ( ; ; in English language, English and Archaism, archaic Dutch language, Dutch also Leyden) is a List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the Provinces of the Nethe ...

and includes female floral material. Lörzing made two further collections of ''N. spectabilis'' in 1921. A fourth specimen was collected by Mohamed Nur bin Mohamed Ghose later that same year.

B. H. Danser Benedictus Hubertus Danser (24 May 1891, Schiedam – 18 October 1943, Groningen (city), Groningen), often abbreviated B. H. Danser, was a Dutch taxonomist and botanist. Danser specialised in the plant families Loranthaceae, Nepenthaceae, and Polyg ...

formally described A species description is a formal scientific description of a newly encountered species, typically articulated through a scientific publication. Its purpose is to provide a clear description of a new species of organism and explain how it differ ...

''N. spectabilis'' in his seminal monograph "

The Nepenthaceae of the Netherlands Indies "The Nepenthaceae of the Netherlands Indies" is a seminal monograph by B. H. Danser on the Nepenthes, tropical pitcher plants of the Dutch East Indies and surrounding regions. It was originally published in the ''Bulletin du Jardin Botanique de Bu ...

", published in 1928.Danser, B.H. 1928.

. ''Bulletin du Jardin Botanique de Buitenzorg'', Série III, 9(3–4): 249–438. He designated ''Lörzing 7308'' as the

type specimen In biology, a type is a particular wikt:en:specimen, specimen (or in some cases a group of specimens) of an organism to which the scientific name of that organism is formally associated. In other words, a type is an example that serves to ancho ...

. Danser wrote:

This new species has only been found on the G. Sibajak and the G. Pinto, two tops of the same mountain ; the Bt. Semaik too certainly belongs to the same group. ''N. spectabilis'' grows above 1800 m elevation ; the habitat is alpine forest and scrub. It seems to be most closely related to '' N. sanguinea'' by the characters of the vegetative parts, but the inflorescences are quite different. Lörzing says of his number 8297 that it was a monoeceous plant ; since, however, in H. B. there is no stem fragment both with male and female flowers, I call this record into question.

The next major taxonomic treatment of ''N. spectabilis'' came only in 1986, when Rusjdi Tamin and

Mitsuru Hotta (23 July 1935 – 8 July 2015) was a Japanese botanist best known for his research on Araceae.van Steenis-Kruseman, M.J., ''et al.'' 2006Cyclopaedia of Malesian Collectors: Mitsuru Hotta Nationaal Herbarium Nederland. Hotta was born in Osaka, Ja ...

covered the species in their monograph on the ''Nepenthes'' of Sumatra. Tamin, R. & M. Hotta 1986. ''Nepenthes'' di Sumatera: The genus ''Nepenthes'' of the Sumatra Island. In: M. Hotta (ed.) ''Diversity and Dynamics of Plant Life in Sumatra: Forest Ecosystem and Speciation in Wet Tropical Environments. Part 1: Reports and Collection of Papers.'' Kyoto University, Kyoto. pp. 75–109. An article authored by Bruce Lee Bednar and published in a 1987 issue of the ''

Carnivorous Plant Newsletter The ''Carnivorous Plant Newsletter'' is the official publication of the International Carnivorous Plant Society (ICPS), the largest such organization in the world. It is headquartered in Walnut Creek, California. History and editorship The news ...

'' mentions a plant known as ''N. spectabilis'' in the

horticultural Horticulture (from ) is the art and science of growing fruits, vegetables, flowers, trees, shrubs and ornamental plants. Horticulture is commonly associated with the more professional and technical aspects of plant cultivation on a smaller and mo ...

trade. Taxonomist

Jan Schlauer Jan, JaN or JAN may refer to: Acronyms * Jackson, Mississippi (Amtrak station), US, Amtrak station code JAN * Jackson-Evers International Airport, Mississippi, US, IATA code * Jabhat al-Nusra (JaN), a Syrian militant group * Japanese Article Num ...

considers this plant conspecific with ''N. curtisii'', which in turn is treated as a

junior synonym In taxonomy, the scientific classification of living organisms, a synonym is an alternative scientific name for the accepted scientific name of a taxon. The botanical and zoological codes of nomenclature treat the concept of synonymy differently. ...

of '' N. maxima''. In their 1997 revision of the genus,

Matthew Jebb Matthew Hilary Peter Jebb (born 1958) is an Irish people, Irish botany, botanist and taxonomy (biology), taxonomist specialising in the ant plant genus, genera ''Squamellaria'', ''Myrmecodia'', ''Hydnophytum'', ''Myrmephytum'' and ''Anthorrhiza' ...

and

Martin Cheek Martin Roy Cheek (born 1960) is a botanist and taxonomist at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.N. lavicola'' as belonging to ''N. spectabilis''. They also designated ''Lörzing 7308'' as the

lectotype In biology, a type is a particular specimen (or in some cases a group of specimens) of an organism to which the scientific name of that organism is formally associated. In other words, a type is an example that serves to anchor or centralizes ...

of ''N. spectabilis''.Jebb, M.H.P. & M.R. Cheek 1997. A skeletal revision of ''Nepenthes'' (Nepenthaceae). ''Blumea'' 42(1): 1–106. The subsequent monograph of

Charles Clarke Charles Rodway Clarke (born 21 September 1950) is a British Labour Party politician who held various Cabinet positions under Prime Minister Tony Blair from 2001 to 2006, lastly as Home Secretary from December 2004 to May 2006. Clarke was th ...

treats these

taxa In biology, a taxon (back-formation from ''taxonomy''; : taxa) is a group of one or more populations of an organism or organisms seen by taxonomists to form a unit. Although neither is required, a taxon is usually known by a particular name and ...

as distinct species.

Description

''Nepenthes spectabilis'' is a climbing plant. The stem can reach lengths of 6 m and is up to 7 mm in diameter. Internodes are cylindrical in cross section and up to 10 cm long. Leaves are

coriaceous This glossary of botanical terms is a list of definitions of terms and concepts relevant to botany and plants in general. Terms of plant morphology are included here as well as at the more specific Glossary of plant morphology and Glossary ...

and

sessile Sessility, or sessile, may refer to: * Sessility (motility), organisms which are not able to move about * Sessility (botany), flowers or leaves that grow directly from the stem or peduncle of a plant * Sessility (medicine), tumors and polyps that ...

. The

lamina Lamina may refer to: People * Saa Emerson Lamina, Sierra Leonean politician * Tamba Lamina, Sierra Leonean politician and diplomat Science and technology * Planar lamina, a two-dimensional planar closed surface with mass and density, in mathem ...

is oblong and up to 16 cm long by 6 cm wide. It has a rounded-acute apex and is gradually

attenuate In physics, attenuation (in some contexts, extinction) is the gradual loss of flux intensity through a medium. For instance, dark glasses attenuate sunlight, lead attenuates X-rays, and water and air attenuate both light and sound at variable at ...

towards the base. Up to 6 longitudinal veins are present on either side of the

midrib A primary vein, also known as the midrib, is the main vascular structure running through the center of a leaf. The primary vein is crucial for the leaf’s efficiency in photosynthesis and overall health, as it ensures the proper flow of material ...

Pinnate Pinnation (also called pennation) is the arrangement of feather-like or multi-divided features arising from both sides of a common axis. Pinnation occurs in biological morphology, in crystals, such as some forms of ice or metal crystals, and ...

veins are usually indistinct.

Tendril In botany, a tendril is a specialized Plant stem, stem, leaf or Petiole (botany), petiole with a thread-like shape used by climbing plants for support and attachment, as well as cellular invasion by parasitic plants such as ''Cuscuta''. There ar ...

s are up to 25 cm long. Rosette and lower pitchers are narrowly ovoid in the lower third to half of the pitcher cup. Above the hip, they are cylindrical and somewhat narrower. Terrestrial pitchers are relatively small, growing to 12 cm in height and 4 cm in width. A pair of fringed wings (≤4 mm wide) runs down the front of the pitcher. The

gland A gland is a Cell (biology), cell or an Organ (biology), organ in an animal's body that produces and secretes different substances that the organism needs, either into the bloodstream or into a body cavity or outer surface. A gland may also funct ...

ular region covers the ovoid portion of the pitcher's inner surface; the waxy zone above is well developed. The mouth is round and flat at the front, becoming oblique towards the lid. The

peristome Peristome (from the Greek language, Greek ''peri'', meaning 'around' or 'about', and ''stoma'', 'mouth') is an anatomical feature that surrounds an opening to an organ or structure. Some plants, fungi, and shelled gastropods have peristomes. In mo ...

is cylindrical in cross section and up to 4 mm wide. Its inner margin is lined with small but distinct teeth. The inner portion of the peristome accounts for around 41% of its total cross-sectional surface length.Bauer, U., C.J. Clemente, T. Renner & W. Federle 2012. Form follows function: morphological diversification and alternative trapping strategies in carnivorous ''Nepenthes'' pitcher plants. ''Journal of Evolutionary Biology'' 25(1): 90–102. The pitcher lid or operculum is sub- orbicular in shape, lacks appendages, and has a strongly

cordate Cordate is an adjective meaning ' heart-shaped' and is most typically used for: * Cordate (leaf shape), in plants * Cordate axe, a prehistoric stone tool See also * Chordate A chordate ( ) is a bilaterian animal belonging to the phyl ...

base. The

spur A spur is a metal tool designed to be worn in pairs on the heels of riding boots for the purpose of directing a horse or other animal to move forward or laterally while riding. It is usually used to refine the riding aids (commands) and to ba ...

is very long (≤30 mm) and unbranched. It is inserted near the base of the lid. Upper pitchers arise gradually from the end of the tendril. They are very narrowly infundibular in the lower half to three-quarters. Above the hip, they are either cylindrical or narrowly infundibular. Aerial pitchers are much larger than their terrestrial counterparts, growing to 26 cm in height and 4.5 cm in width. They usually have ribs in place of wings, although fringe elements may be present near the peristome. The glandular region covers the inner surface below the hip. The pitcher mouth is round and has a steeply oblique insertion. The peristome is cylindrical and up to 3 mm wide. Other parts of the upper pitchers are similar to those of the lower pitchers. ''Nepenthes spectabilis'' has a

racemose A raceme () or racemoid is an unbranched, indeterminate type of inflorescence bearing flowers having short floral stalks along the shoots that bear the flowers. The oldest flowers grow close to the base and new flowers are produced as the shoo ...

inflorescence In botany, an inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a plant's Plant stem, stem that is composed of a main branch or a system of branches. An inflorescence is categorized on the basis of the arrangement of flowers on a mai ...

. The peduncle grows to 12 cm in length. The

rachis In biology, a rachis (from the [], "backbone, spine") is a main axis or "shaft". In zoology and microbiology In vertebrates, ''rachis'' can refer to the series of articulated vertebrae, which encase the spinal cord. In this case the ''rachi ...

may be up to 15 cm long, although it is usually shorter and denser in female inflorescences. Partial peduncles are

bract In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis or cone scale. Bracts are usually different from foliage leaves in size, color, shape or texture. They also lo ...

eolate and two-flowered.

Sepal A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106 Etymology The term ''sepalum'' ...

s are elliptic-oblong in shape and up to 5 mm long. ''Nepenthes spectabilis'' exhibits considerable variation in the development of its

indumentum In biology, an indumentum (Latin, literally: "garment") is a covering of trichomes (fine "hairs") on a plant or of bristles (rarely scales) of an insect. Plants The indumentum on plants can have a wide variety of functions, including as ...

. In most plants, developing parts are covered in short,

stellate Stellate, meaning star-shaped, may be used to describe: Biology * Stellate cell (disambiguation) * Stellate ganglion * Stellate reticulum * Stellate veins * Stellate trichomes (hairs) Other * Stellate wounds from lacerations or incisions * S ...

reddish-brown hairs, although many of these are

caducous Dehiscence is the splitting of a mature plant structure along a built-in line of weakness to release its contents. This is common among fruits, anthers and sporangia. Sometimes this involves the complete detachment of a part. Structures that op ...

. Inflorescences and the margins of the lamina bear dense, stellate reddish-brown hairs that are persistent. A dense covering of short, persistent hairs is also present on the lower surface of the midrib. The stem and lamina are green. Pitchers are characteristically light green with numerous dark brown speckles. The peristome is often yellowish-green with brown stripes.

Ecology

''Nepenthes spectabilis'' is

to the

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian Ocean, Indian and Pacific Ocean, Pacific oceans. Comprising over List of islands of Indonesia, 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, ...

provinces A province is an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions outside Italy. The term ''provi ...

North Sumatra North Sumatra () is a Provinces of Indonesia, province of Indonesia located in the northern part of the island of Sumatra. Its capital and largest city is Medan on the east coast of the island. It borders Aceh to the northwest, Riau to the sou ...

and

Aceh Aceh ( , ; , Jawi script, Jawoë: ; Van Ophuijsen Spelling System, Old Spelling: ''Atjeh'') is the westernmost Provinces of Indonesia, province of Indonesia. It is located on the northern end of Sumatra island, with Banda Aceh being its capit ...

. Its natural range stretches from the

Lake Toba Lake Toba (, Toba Batak: ᯖᯀᯬ ᯖᯬᯅ; romanized: ''Tao Toba'') is a large natural lake in North Sumatra, Indonesia, occupying the caldera of the Toba supervolcano. The lake is located in the middle of the northern part of the island of ...

region in the south to

Mount Kemiri Mount is often used as part of the name of specific mountains, e.g. Mount Everest. Mount or Mounts may also refer to: Places * Mount, Cornwall, a village in Warleggan parish, England * Mount, Perranzabuloe, a hamlet in Perranzabuloe parish, ...

in the north. It has an elevational distribution of 1,400–2,200 m

above sea level Height above mean sea level is a measure of a location's vertical distance (height, elevation or altitude) in reference to a vertical datum based on a historic mean sea level. In geodesy, it is formalized as orthometric height. The zero level ...

. ''Nepenthes spectabilis'' grows in

mossy forest A cloud forest, also called a water forest, primas forest, or tropical montane cloud forest, is a generally tropical or subtropical, evergreen, montane, moist forest characterized by a persistent, frequent or seasonal low-level cloud cover, ...

and stunted upper

montane forest Montane ecosystems are found on the slopes of mountains. The alpine climate in these regions strongly affects the ecosystem because temperatures lapse rate, fall as elevation increases, causing the ecosystem to stratify. This stratification is ...

. It usually occurs terrestrially, but may also be

epiphytic An epiphyte is a plant or plant-like organism that grows on the surface of another plant and derives its moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, water (in marine environments) or from debris accumulating around it. The plants on which epiphyt ...

.Hopkins, M., R. Maulder & B. .Salmon 1990. ''

'' 19(1–2): 19–28.McPherson, S.R. & A. Robinson 2012. ''

Field Guide to the Pitcher Plants of Sumatra and Java This list of ''Nepenthes'' literature is a listing of major published works dealing with the tropical pitcher plants of the genus ''Nepenthes''. It includes specialised standalone publications and taxonomic monographs released as part of larger ...

''. Redfern Natural History Productions, Poole. Certain populations of ''N. spectabilis'' differ considerably in morphology. Plants from the type locality produce relatively broad upper pitchers, while those from

Mount Pangulubao Mount Pangulubao or Pangulubau () is a mountain near Lake Toba in Sumatra. Mount Pangulubao is notable for its large number of native tropical pitcher plant species. These include ''Nepenthes ampullaria'', ''Nepenthes gymnamphora'', ''Nepenthes ...

are much narrower. A particularly gracile form has been recorded from the west side of Lake Toba. Plants from Mount Siluatan are different still, producing pitchers that are green throughout. The species also exhibits great variability in the extent of the

; some plants have a dense covering of hairs, while others are virtually

glabrous Glabrousness () is the technical term for a lack of hair, down, setae, trichomes, or other such covering. A glabrous surface may be a natural characteristic of all or part of a plant or animal, or be due to loss because of a physical condition, ...

. The form of ''N. spectabilis'' from Mount Bandahara is very large and has an unusual flared peristome. Plants grow in ''

Sphagnum ''Sphagnum'' is a genus of approximately 380 accepted species of mosses, commonly known as sphagnum moss, also bog moss and quacker moss (although that term is also sometimes used for peat). Accumulations of ''Sphagnum'' can store water, since ...

'' moss. In 1996, Paul Harwood, Heiko Rischer and

Andreas Wistuba Andreas Wistuba (born 4 March 1967) is a German taxonomist and botanist specialising in the carnivorous plant genera ''Heliamphora'' and ''Nepenthes''. More than half of all known ''Heliamphora'' species have been described by Wistuba. Publica ...

observed that the majority of prey in both lower and upper pitchers of this form consisted of

beetle Beetles are insects that form the Taxonomic rank, order Coleoptera (), in the superorder Holometabola. Their front pair of wings are hardened into wing-cases, elytra, distinguishing them from most other insects. The Coleoptera, with about 40 ...

s. They also found

infaunal Fauna (: faunae or faunas) is all of the animal life present in a particular region or time. The corresponding terms for plants and fungi are ''flora'' and ''funga'', respectively. Flora, fauna, funga and other forms of life are collectively r ...

mosquito Mosquitoes, the Culicidae, are a Family (biology), family of small Diptera, flies consisting of 3,600 species. The word ''mosquito'' (formed by ''Musca (fly), mosca'' and diminutive ''-ito'') is Spanish and Portuguese for ''little fly''. Mos ...

larva A larva (; : larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into their next life stage. Animals with indirect development such as insects, some arachnids, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase ...

e in the pitchers. In the wild, ''N. spectabilis'' is sympatric with '' N. flava'',Wistuba, A., J. Nerz & A. Fleischmann 2007
flava'', a new species of Nepenthaceae from the northern part of Sumatra
''Blumea'' 52(1): 159–163. '' N. gymnamphora'', '' N. mikei'', '' N. ovata'', '' N. rhombicaulis'', and '' N. rigidifolia''. Natural hybrids with all of these species except ''N. flava'' have been recorded.Salmon, B.R. & R.G. Maulder 1995
Two New Species of ''Nepenthes'' from North Sumatra, Indonesia
''

'' 24(3): 77–85. Due to the patchy distribution of ''N. spectabilis'', its

conservation status The conservation status of a group of organisms (for instance, a species) indicates whether the group still exists and how likely the group is to become extinct in the near future. Many factors are taken into account when assessing conservation ...

is listed as Vulnerable on the 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Upon observing ''N. spectabilis'' on Mount Pangulubao in 1995, botanist

wrote that he "got the impression that collectors had taken a bit of a toll on the population, partly because very few immature plants were visible".Clarke, C. .1997
Another Nice Trip to Sumatra
''

'' 26(1): 4–10.

Related species

''Nepenthes spectabilis'' is thought to be most closely related to '' N. lavicola''. It can be distinguished from that species on the basis of its smaller floral

s, longer

fruit In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants (angiosperms) that is formed from the ovary after flowering. Fruits are the means by which angiosperms disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particular have long propaga ...

s, and very long unbranched

. In addition, the species differ in the shape of their lower pitchers. Those of ''N. lavicola'' are

urceolate This glossary of botanical terms is a list of definitions of terms and concepts relevant to botany and plants in general. Terms of plant morphology are included here as well as at the more specific Glossary of plant morphology and Glossary ...

globose This glossary of botanical terms is a list of definitions of terms and concepts relevant to botany and plants in general. Terms of plant morphology are included here as well as at the more specific Glossary of plant morphology and Glossary ...

, while those of ''N. spectabilis'' are ovoid in the lower part and cylindrical above. Furthermore, the pitchers of ''N. lavicola'' are generally dark brown or purple throughout, compared to the light green and dark brown speckled traps of ''N. spectabilis''.Wistuba, A. & H. Rischer 1996
''Nepenthes lavicola'', a new species of Nepenthaceae from the Aceh Province in the North of Sumatra
''

'' 25(4): 106–111. In ''

'',

mentions an undescribed taxon from

that is intermediate in appearance between ''N. lavicola'' and ''N. spectabilis''. It is unlikely to be of hybridogenic origin as it is not sympatric with any other ''Nepenthes'' species. '' Nepenthes rigidifolia'' also bears a superficial resemblance to ''N. spectabilis'', particularly in the colouration of its pitchers. Apart from its markedly different upper pitchers, ''N. spectabilis'' differs from the former in having thin leaves, an unbranched spur, and an apical tendril insertion.Akhriadi, P., Hernawati & R. Tamin 2004
A new species of ''Nepenthes'' (Nepenthaceae) from Sumatra.
''Reinwardtia'' 12(2): 141–144. In his 1928 monograph,

placed ''N. spectabilis'' in the ''

Nobiles The ''nobiles'' ( ''nobilis'', ) were members of a social rank in the Roman Republic indicating that one was "well known". This may have changed over time: in Cicero's time, one was notable if one descended from a person who had been elected con ...

clade In biology, a clade (), also known as a Monophyly, monophyletic group or natural group, is a group of organisms that is composed of a common ancestor and all of its descendants. Clades are the fundamental unit of cladistics, a modern approach t ...

. He wrote:

The third group, that of the ''Nobiles'', comprises the species that form a transition between the ''Vulgatae'' and the ''Montanae'' on one hand and the ''Regiae'' on the other. ''N. spectabilis'', from Sumatra, reminds one of ''N. sanguinea'' in many respects but shows a resemblance with the ''Regiae'' by the yellowish colour of herbarium specimens and by the red-brown indumentum.

Clarke suggests that ''N. spectabilis'' "would perhaps have been better placed in the '' Montanae'', which includes several species that appear to be closely related, such as '' N. gymnamphora'' and '' N. pectinata''". In 2001, Clarke published a

cladistic analysis Cladistics ( ; from Ancient Greek 'branch') is an approach to biological classification in which organisms are categorized in groups ("clades") based on hypotheses of most recent common ancestry. The evidence for hypothesized relationships is ...

of the ''Nepenthes'' species of Sumatra and

Peninsular Malaysia Peninsular Malaysia, historically known as Malaya and also known as West Malaysia or the Malaysian Peninsula, is the western part of Malaysia that comprises the southern part of the Malay Peninsula on Mainland Southeast Asia and the list of isla ...

based on 70 morphological characteristics of each taxon. The resultant

cladogram A cladogram (from Greek language, Greek ''clados'' "branch" and ''gramma'' "character") is a diagram used in cladistics to show relations among organisms. A cladogram is not, however, an Phylogenetic tree, evolutionary tree because it does not s ...

placed ''N. spectabilis'' in a small clade with '' N. gymnamphora''. However, since the study was limited in its geographical scope, this placement may not accurately reflect the relationship between ''N. spectabilis'' and its closest relatives.

Natural hybrids

''Nepenthes spectabilis'' occurs sympatrically with many other ''Nepenthes'' species and a number of natural hybrids have been recorded.

''N. ovata'' × ''N. spectabilis''

Nepenthes ovata ''Nepenthes ovata'' is a tropical pitcher plant endemism, endemic to Sumatra. The specific name (botany), specific epithet ''ovata'' is Latin for "wikt:ovate, ovate" and refers to the shape of the lower pitchers. Botanical history ''Nepenthes ...

'' × ''N. spectabilis'' is known to occur along the summit trail of Mount Pangulubao. This hybrid produces pitchers roughly intermediate in appearance between its parent species. The peristome is flattened and expanded, but to a lesser degree than in ''N. ovata''. The speckles of ''N. spectabilis'' are present, but the pitchers have a much lighter colouration. Most examples of this hybrid grow terrestrially and some climb into the forest canopy.

''N. rigidifolia'' × ''N. spectabilis''

Several plants representing the cross '' N. rigidifolia'' × ''N. spectabilis'' have been recorded from an open rocky outcrop close to the type locality of ''N. rigidifolia''. The hybrid differs from ''N. rigidifolia'' in having narrower pitchers with an infundibular base and distinct hip around the middle. On the other hand, the pitchers of this hybrid are broader than those of ''N. spectabilis'' and have a wider, expanded peristome. The richly coloured lower pitchers of ''N. rigidifolia'' × ''N. spectabilis'' superficially resemble those of '' N. macfarlanei''. However, since that species is confined to

, the two

are not easily confused.

Other hybrids

Four other natural hybrids with ''N. spectabilis'' have been recorded. These are '' N. gymnamphora'' × ''N. spectabilis'', '' N. mikei'' × ''N. spectabilis'', '' N. rhombicaulis'' × ''N. spectabilis'', and ''N. spectabilis'' × '' N. tobaica''.

Notes

References

External links

* Danser, B.H. 1928

In:

. ''Bulletin du Jardin Botanique de Buitenzorg'', Série III, 9(3–4): 249–438. {{Taxonbar, from=Q4924691 Carnivorous plants of Asia spectabilis Endemic flora of Sumatra Plants described in 1928 Threatened flora of Asia Vulnerable plants Taxa named by Benedictus Hubertus Danser