Nepenthes mantalingajanensis
Encyclopedia
Nepenthes mantalingajanensis is a tropical pitcher plant
known only from the summit region of Mount Mantalingajan, the highest point on the Philippine
island of Palawan
, after which it is named.
.
The species entered cultivation in 1998, prior to receiving a formal description; plants in cultivation were generally referred to as Nepenthes spec. Palawan 1. Nepenthes mantalingajanensis was formally described
by Joachim Nerz
and Andreas Wistuba
in a 2007 issue of Das Taublatt
. The herbarium
specimen J.Nerz & A.Wistuba P001 is the designated holotype
, and is deposited at the herbarium of the Institut für Biologie I at the Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen
(TUB).
or produce an upright stem 30–60 cm tall. Internodes are circular in cross section and up to 1 cm in diameter. The species does not appear to produce a climbing stem.
Leaves are petiolate to sub-petiolate and coriaceous in texture. The lamina (leaf blade) is broadly lanceolate in shape and can reach 20 cm in length by 6 cm in width. The apex of the lamina is typically acute or obtuse, but may be sub-peltate, with the point of tendril
attachment being up to 4 mm from the apex. The lamina is attenuate at its base. The petiole
itself is amplexicaul, canaliculate (grooved lengthwise), and up to 7 cm long. Tendrils are up to 30 cm long.
Rosette and lower pitchers are usually ovate or obconic, although ones that develop embedded in substrate
often have a more globose shape. Pitchers produced on older plants are generally more elongated with a narrower basal portion. Terrestrial pitchers are quite small, typically reaching only 15 cm in height by 6.5 cm in width, although particularly globose traps may be 12 cm wide. A pair of wings (≤8 mm wide), with fringe elements up to 5 mm long, usually runs down the ventral surface of the pitcher cup, although the wings may occasionally be reduced to ribs. The peristome
is approximately cylindrical and up to 2 cm across. It bears ribs up to 2 mm high and spaced up to 3 mm apart, which terminate in curved teeth up to 5 mm long. The peristome is elongated into a neck at the rear, where the teeth on the two lobes of the peristome run apart to form distinctive gap. The pitcher lid or operculum
is cordate (heart-shaped) and may have a rounded or pointed tip. It measures up to 5 cm in length by 4 cm in width and does not bear any appendages. The spur
, which is inserted near the base of the lid, is up to 8 mm long and may be simple or branched.
Observations of hundreds of plants across three habitat types found no evidence of climbing stems or upper pitchers in this species, suggesting that aerial traps are either very rare or absent altogether. It has been speculated that N. mantalingajanensis may produce upper pitchers only in deep shade or if provided with sufficient vegetation to support a climbing stem, as is the case with the closely related N. deaniana
and N. mira
.
Nepenthes mantalingajanensis has a racemose
inflorescence
measuring up to 35 cm in length by 3 cm in width. The peduncle
itself may be up to 25 cm long and 8 mm wide, while the rachis
, which is longer in male plants, reaches 16 cm. Pedicels
are one-flowered, measure up to 14 mm in length, and may have a 1 mm basal bract
. Tepal
s, which are up to 4 mm long, are ovate-elliptic in females and orbicular to ovate in males. Fruit
s reach 18 mm in length, while seed
s measure around 6 mm. Male flowers sometimes produce a "faint, sweet fragrance".
The vegetative parts of the plant are mostly glabrous, although an indumentum
of velvety, brown hairs may be present on the spur.
Nepenthes mantalingajanensis has only been recorded from the summit region of Mount Mantalingajan on the island of Palawan
in the Philippines
. It is likely to also be present on the ridge that connects Mount Mantalingajan to its lower peaks, but confirmation of this would require further exploration. The altitudinal distribution of this species extends from 1700 m above sea level to the summit at 2085 m.
The typical habitat of N. mantalingajanensis is upper montane forest and scrub
vegetation. Plants growing on the summit are very stunted and grow amongst subalpine shrubbery with a wind-clipped canopy that rarely exceeds 80 cm. In such open sites, N. mantalingajanensis is exposed to direct sunlight and frequently flowers at a height of less than 25 cm. Like its close relatives, N. mantalingajanensis is apparently outcompeted by bamboo
.
In his 2009 book, Pitcher Plants of the Old World
, Stewart McPherson
writes that N. mantalingajanensis is "not currently threatened" owing to its extensive populations on Mount Mantalingajan and the remote nature of the mountain. Mount Mantalingajan is already afforded Protected Area status and there is local interest in having it recognised as a UNESCO
World Heritage Site
.
complex of species, which are localised on ultramafic soils in the north of Borneo
and in the highlands of Palawan
and Mindanao
. The N. villosa complex is thought to have originated from a common ancestor in Borneo.
Nepenthes mantalingajanensis appears to be most closely allied to the Palawan endemics N. attenboroughii
, N. deaniana
, N. leonardoi
, and N. mira
, as well as the Mindanao
endemic N. peltata
. It can be distinguished from all of these species on the basis of its smaller size and narrower lamina, typically with an acute apex. The lower pitchers of N. mantalingajanensis can be particularly similar to those of N. mira, although these species differ markedly in lamina morphology.
Pitcher plant
Pitcher plants are carnivorous plants whose prey-trapping mechanism features a deep cavity filled with liquid known as a pitfall trap. It has been widely assumed that the various sorts of pitfall trap evolved from rolled leaves, with selection pressure favouring more deeply cupped leaves over...
known only from the summit region of Mount Mantalingajan, the highest point on the Philippine
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
island of Palawan
Palawan
Palawan is an island province of the Philippines located in the MIMAROPA region or Region 4. Its capital is Puerto Princesa City, and it is the largest province in the country in terms of total area of jurisdiction. The islands of Palawan stretch from Mindoro in the northeast to Borneo in the...
, after which it is named.
Botanical history
Nepenthes mantalingajanensis was first collected on Mount Mantalingajan in 1992, during a botanical expedition to the summit of the mountain by botanists G. C. G. Argent and E. M. Romero. The specimen, G.C.G.Argent & E.M.Romero 92114, was taken on March 2, 1992, at an altitude of 1700 m, and is deposited at the Kew Herbarium (K) in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
The species entered cultivation in 1998, prior to receiving a formal description; plants in cultivation were generally referred to as Nepenthes spec. Palawan 1. Nepenthes mantalingajanensis was formally described
Species description
A species description or type description is a formal description of a newly discovered species, usually in the form of a scientific paper. Its purpose is to give a clear description of a new species of organism and explain how it differs from species which have been described previously, or are...
by Joachim Nerz
Joachim Nerz
Dr. Joachim Nerz is a taxonomist and botanist specialising in the carnivorous plant genera Heliamphora and Nepenthes. Nerz has described several new species, mostly with Andreas Wistuba.-Publications:...
and Andreas Wistuba
Andreas Wistuba
Dr. Andreas Wistuba 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.-Publications:...
in a 2007 issue of Das Taublatt
Das Taublatt
Das Taublatt is a triannual German-language periodical and the official publication of Gesellschaft für fleischfressende Pflanzen im deutschsprachigen Raum, a carnivorous plant society based in Germany. Typical articles include matters of horticultural interest, field reports, and new taxon...
. The herbarium
Herbarium
In botany, a herbarium – sometimes known by the Anglicized term herbar – is a collection of preserved plant specimens. These specimens may be whole plants or plant parts: these will usually be in a dried form, mounted on a sheet, but depending upon the material may also be kept in...
specimen J.Nerz & A.Wistuba P001 is the designated holotype
Holotype
A holotype is a single physical example of an organism, known to have been used when the species was formally described. It is either the single such physical example or one of several such, but explicitly designated as the holotype...
, and is deposited at the herbarium of the Institut für Biologie I at the Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen
Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen
Eberhard Karls University, Tübingen is a public university located in the city of Tübingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is one of Germany's oldest universities, internationally noted in medicine, natural sciences and the humanities. In the area of German Studies it has been ranked first among...
(TUB).
Description
Depending on environmental conditions, N. mantalingajanensis may grow as a compact rosetteRosette (botany)
In botany, a rosette is a circular arrangement of leaves, with all the leaves at a single height.Though rosettes usually sit near the soil, their structure is an example of a modified stem.-Function:...
or produce an upright stem 30–60 cm tall. Internodes are circular in cross section and up to 1 cm in diameter. The species does not appear to produce a climbing stem.
Tendril
In botany, a tendril is a specialized stem, leaf or petiole with a threadlike shape that is used by climbing plants for support, attachment and cellular invasion by parasitic plants, generally by twining around suitable hosts. They do not have a lamina or blade, but they can photosynthesize...
attachment being up to 4 mm from the apex. The lamina is attenuate at its base. The petiole
Petiole (botany)
In botany, the petiole is the stalk attaching the leaf blade to the stem. The petiole usually has the same internal structure as the stem. Outgrowths appearing on each side of the petiole are called stipules. Leaves lacking a petiole are called sessile, or clasping when they partly surround the...
itself is amplexicaul, canaliculate (grooved lengthwise), and up to 7 cm long. Tendrils are up to 30 cm long.
Substrate (biology)
In biology a substrate is the surface a plant or animal lives upon and grows on. A substrate can include biotic or abiotic materials and animals. For example, encrusting algae that lives on a rock can be substrate for another animal that lives on top of the algae. See also substrate .-External...
often have a more globose shape. Pitchers produced on older plants are generally more elongated with a narrower basal portion. Terrestrial pitchers are quite small, typically reaching only 15 cm in height by 6.5 cm in width, although particularly globose traps may be 12 cm wide. A pair of wings (≤8 mm wide), with fringe elements up to 5 mm long, usually runs down the ventral surface of the pitcher cup, although the wings may occasionally be reduced to ribs. The peristome
Peristome
The word peristome is derived from the Greek peri, meaning 'around' or 'about', and stoma, 'mouth'. It is a term used to describe various anatomical features that surround an opening to an organ or structure. The term is used in plants and invertebrate animals, such as in describing the shells of...
is approximately cylindrical and up to 2 cm across. It bears ribs up to 2 mm high and spaced up to 3 mm apart, which terminate in curved teeth up to 5 mm long. The peristome is elongated into a neck at the rear, where the teeth on the two lobes of the peristome run apart to form distinctive gap. The pitcher lid or operculum
Operculum (botany)
An operculum, in botany, is a term generally used to describe a structure within a plant, moss, or fungus acting as a cap, flap, or lid. In plants, it may also be called a bud cap.Examples of structures identified as opercula include:...
is cordate (heart-shaped) and may have a rounded or pointed tip. It measures up to 5 cm in length by 4 cm in width and does not bear any appendages. The spur
Spur (biology)
A spur in botany is a spike, usually part of a flower.In certain plants, part of a sepal or petal develops into an elongated hollow spike extending behind the flower, containing nectar which is sucked by long-tongued animals . Plants with such structures include Delphinium, Aquilegia, Piperia, and...
, which is inserted near the base of the lid, is up to 8 mm long and may be simple or branched.
Observations of hundreds of plants across three habitat types found no evidence of climbing stems or upper pitchers in this species, suggesting that aerial traps are either very rare or absent altogether. It has been speculated that N. mantalingajanensis may produce upper pitchers only in deep shade or if provided with sufficient vegetation to support a climbing stem, as is the case with the closely related N. deaniana
Nepenthes deaniana
Nepenthes deaniana is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to the Philippines, where it grows at an altitude of 1180–1296 m above sea level. The species is known only from the summit region of Thumb Peak, a relatively small, ultramafic mountain in Puerto Princesa Province, Palawan.Nepenthes...
and N. mira
Nepenthes mira
Nepenthes mira is a highland pitcher plant endemic to Palawan in the Philippines. It grows at elevations of 1550–1605 m above sea level....
.
Nepenthes mantalingajanensis has a racemose
Raceme
A raceme is a type of inflorescence that is unbranched and indeterminate and bears pedicellate flowers — flowers having short floral stalks called pedicels — along the axis. In botany, axis means a shoot, in this case one bearing the flowers. In a raceme, the oldest flowers are borne...
inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
measuring up to 35 cm in length by 3 cm in width. The peduncle
Peduncle (botany)
In botany, a peduncle is a stem supporting an inflorescence, or after fecundation, an infructescence.The peduncle is a stem, usually green and without leaves, though sometimes colored or supporting small leaves...
itself may be up to 25 cm long and 8 mm wide, while the rachis
Rachis
Rachis is a biological term for a main axis or "shaft".-In zoology:In vertebrates a rachis can refer to the series of articulated vertebrae, which encase the spinal cord. In this case the rachis usually form the supporting axis of the body and is then called the spine or vertebral column...
, which is longer in male plants, reaches 16 cm. Pedicels
Pedicel (botany)
A pedicel is a stem that attaches single flowers to the main stem of the inflorescence. It is the branches or stalks that hold each flower in an inflorescence that contains more than one flower....
are one-flowered, measure up to 14 mm in length, and may have a 1 mm basal bract
Bract
In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis, or cone scale. Bracts are often different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or of a different color, shape, or texture...
. Tepal
Tepal
Tepals are elements of the perianth, or outer part of a flower, which include the petals or sepals. The term tepal is more often applied specifically when all segments of the perianth are of similar shape and color, or undifferentiated, which is called perigone...
s, which are up to 4 mm long, are ovate-elliptic in females and orbicular to ovate in males. Fruit
Fruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
s reach 18 mm in length, while seed
Seed
A seed is a small embryonic plant enclosed in a covering called the seed coat, usually with some stored food. It is the product of the ripened ovule of gymnosperm and angiosperm plants which occurs after fertilization and some growth within the mother plant...
s measure around 6 mm. Male flowers sometimes produce a "faint, sweet fragrance".
The vegetative parts of the plant are mostly glabrous, although an indumentum
Indumentum
The indumentum is a covering of fine hairs or bristles on a plant or insect.In plants, the indumentum types are:*pubescent*hirsute*pilose*villous*tomentose*stellate*scabrous*scurfy...
of velvety, brown hairs may be present on the spur.
Ecology
Palawan
Palawan is an island province of the Philippines located in the MIMAROPA region or Region 4. Its capital is Puerto Princesa City, and it is the largest province in the country in terms of total area of jurisdiction. The islands of Palawan stretch from Mindoro in the northeast to Borneo in the...
in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. It is likely to also be present on the ridge that connects Mount Mantalingajan to its lower peaks, but confirmation of this would require further exploration. The altitudinal distribution of this species extends from 1700 m above sea level to the summit at 2085 m.
The typical habitat of N. mantalingajanensis is upper montane forest and scrub
Shrubland
Shrubland, scrubland, scrub or brush is a plant community characterized by vegetation dominated by shrubs, often also including grasses, herbs, and geophytes. Shrubland may either occur naturally or be the result of human activity...
vegetation. Plants growing on the summit are very stunted and grow amongst subalpine shrubbery with a wind-clipped canopy that rarely exceeds 80 cm. In such open sites, N. mantalingajanensis is exposed to direct sunlight and frequently flowers at a height of less than 25 cm. Like its close relatives, N. mantalingajanensis is apparently outcompeted by bamboo
Bamboo
Bamboo is a group of perennial evergreens in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family....
.
In his 2009 book, Pitcher Plants of the Old World
Pitcher Plants of the Old World
Pitcher Plants of the Old World is a two-volume monograph by Stewart McPherson on the pitcher plants of the genera Nepenthes and Cephalotus. It was published in May 2009 by Redfern Natural History Productions...
, Stewart McPherson
Stewart McPherson (geographer)
Stewart R. McPherson is a British geographer.He studied at the University of Durham in England, the University of Tübingen in Germany and Yale University in the United States....
writes that N. mantalingajanensis is "not currently threatened" owing to its extensive populations on Mount Mantalingajan and the remote nature of the mountain. Mount Mantalingajan is already afforded Protected Area status and there is local interest in having it recognised as a UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
.
Related species
Nepenthes mantalingajanensis shows affinities to members of the N. villosaNepenthes villosa
Nepenthes villosa , or the Villose Pitcher-Plant, is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Mount Kinabalu and neighbouring Mount Tambuyukon in northeastern Borneo. It grows at higher altitudes than any other Bornean Nepenthes species, occurring at elevations of over 3200 m...
complex of species, which are localised on ultramafic soils in the north of Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
and in the highlands of Palawan
Palawan
Palawan is an island province of the Philippines located in the MIMAROPA region or Region 4. Its capital is Puerto Princesa City, and it is the largest province in the country in terms of total area of jurisdiction. The islands of Palawan stretch from Mindoro in the northeast to Borneo in the...
and Mindanao
Mindanao
Mindanao is the second largest and easternmost island in the Philippines. It is also the name of one of the three island groups in the country, which consists of the island of Mindanao and smaller surrounding islands. The other two are Luzon and the Visayas. The island of Mindanao is called The...
. The N. villosa complex is thought to have originated from a common ancestor in Borneo.
Nepenthes mantalingajanensis appears to be most closely allied to the Palawan endemics N. attenboroughii
Nepenthes attenboroughii
Nepenthes attenboroughii is a montane species of insectivorous pitcher plant of the genus Nepenthes. It is named after the celebrated broadcaster and naturalist Sir David Attenborough, who is a keen enthusiast of the genus. The species is characterised by its large and distinctive bell-shaped...
, N. deaniana
Nepenthes deaniana
Nepenthes deaniana is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to the Philippines, where it grows at an altitude of 1180–1296 m above sea level. The species is known only from the summit region of Thumb Peak, a relatively small, ultramafic mountain in Puerto Princesa Province, Palawan.Nepenthes...
, N. leonardoi
Nepenthes leonardoi
Nepenthes leonardoi is a tropical pitcher plant known from a single locality in central Palawan, the Philippines. It is closely allied to several other Palawan endemics, including N. deaniana, N. gantungensis, and N. mira. The traps of this species reach at least 24 cm in height...
, and N. mira
Nepenthes mira
Nepenthes mira is a highland pitcher plant endemic to Palawan in the Philippines. It grows at elevations of 1550–1605 m above sea level....
, as well as the Mindanao
Mindanao
Mindanao is the second largest and easternmost island in the Philippines. It is also the name of one of the three island groups in the country, which consists of the island of Mindanao and smaller surrounding islands. The other two are Luzon and the Visayas. The island of Mindanao is called The...
endemic N. peltata
Nepenthes peltata
Nepenthes peltata is a tropical pitcher plant known only from the upper slopes of Mount Hamiguitan on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines. It is characterised by a peltate tendril attachment and conspicuous indumentum...
. It can be distinguished from all of these species on the basis of its smaller size and narrower lamina, typically with an acute apex. The lower pitchers of N. mantalingajanensis can be particularly similar to those of N. mira, although these species differ markedly in lamina morphology.