New Species - Nepenthes palawanensis
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Species:
Nepenthes palawanensis
Locality:
Philippines
Date discovered:
February 2010
Discovery Details
On the summit of the remote outcrop, Sultan's Peak, in Central Palawan, Jehson Cervancia and Stewart McPherson discovered a spectacular new species of Nepenthes (pitcher plant). Sultan's Peak is a massive ultramafic outcrop located near Mount Victoria (the type locality of N. attenboroughii) and the new Nepenthes taxon clearly bears great similarity to that species. It produces similarly gigantic pitchers, commonly in excess of 35 cm in length. However, the structure of the leaves, flowers, leave attachment, and the shape, size, colour and indumentum of the pitchers differs from N. attenboroughii. Consequently, this spectacular new plant has been described as a new species named Nepenthes palawanensis
Much like the pitchers of N. attenboroughii the traps of N. palawanensis are voluminous (up to at least 2 liters), and lined with a broad, spiked peristome. However, this gigantic new species is interesting because it has never been observed to produce upper pitchers. All traps observed at the type locality consisted of lower traps - quite unlike N. attenboroughii which overwhelmingly produces upper pitchers.
The formal description of Nepenthes palawanensis is published in Redfern's recently released title Carnivorous Plants and their Habitats Volume Two by Stewart McPherson. Please see Redfern book catalogue (left) for more details or to place an order.
Please view our stock image and stock video libraries (links to the left) for photographs and video clips of this exciting new plant!