New Species - Nepenthes pitopangii ined.
Species:
Nepenthes pitopangii ined.
Locality:
Sulawesi
Date discovered:
July 2007
Discovery Details
This plant was encountered by Nepenthes enthusiast, Jonathan Newman in 2006, in the Lore Lindu National Park in Central Sulawesi. On Jonathan's recommendation, in July 2007, Greg Bourke and Stewart McPherson relocated the population and determined that it represented a new species. In April 2008, Ch'ien Lee and Stewart McPherson returned to Sulawesi to complete observations of this plant to prepare its formal description.
The specific epithet honours Dr. Rahmadanil Pitopang, curator of the herbarium of Universitas Tadulako, who collected the first herbarium specimens of this species. Nepenthes pitopangii ined. produces distinctive upper pitchers lined with prominent glands on the interior. While it appears to be closely related to Nepenthes glabrata, profound morphological differences distinguish it from that species, and all natural hybrids.
Further information, the formal description and several photos of Nepenthes pitopangii ined. feature in Redfern's recently released book titles Pitcher Plants of the Old World Volume One and Pitcher Plants of the Old World Volume Two 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.