Rediscovered Species - Nepenthes alba
Species:
Nepenthes alba
Locality:
Malaysia
Date discovered:
March 2008
Discovery Details
During his climb, Ridley discovered two species of pitcher plants, one of which he named Nepenthes gracillima in 1908 for it produces long, slender pitchers that are predominantly black mottled with green blotches. The other plant Ridley named Nepenthes alba in 1924 for it produces smaller, predominantly white pitchers. During the past century, the classification of both plants has been clouded with errors and confusion. Various botanists have considered the two plants the same species, others mistakenly identified either or both under various incorrect names, including N. ramispina, N. bongso and N. singalana.
In 2008, Stewart McPherson ascended Mount Tahan, and on the slopes of that mountain, observed populations of two distinct types of Nepenthes that match Ridley’s original descriptions of N. gracillima and N. alba. Nepenthes alba occurs with increasing abundance from 1,600 m altitude to the summit of Mount Tahan, which stands at 2,187 m. The population of N. alba on Mount Tahan consists of many tens of thousands of plants which display consistent morphology, size, and general colouration (although the upper pitchers vary in colour). Many plants produce upper pitchers that are pure white, while a small minority may produce reddish upper pitchers. The wider distribution of N. alba beyond Mount Tahan remains unclear but herbarium specimens from Mount Tapis may represent this species too.
Further information and several photos of Nepenthes alba feature in Redfern's recent titles Pitcher Plants of the Old World Vol. 1 and Pitcher Plants of the Old World Vol. 2 by Stewart McPherson. Both volumes are available online for immediate dispatch. Please see Redfern book catalogue (left) for more details or to place an order.