Nepenthes albomarginata

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Nepenthes albomarginata
Nepenthes albomarginata.jpg
A pair of lower pitchers of N. albomarginata from Bako National Park, Borneo, where it often grows in heath forest and scrub vegetation [1]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Nepenthaceae
Genus: Nepenthes
Species:
N. albomarginata
Binomial name
Nepenthes albomarginata
T.Lobb ex Lindl. (1849) [3]
Synonyms

Nepenthes albomarginata /nɪˈpɛnθiːzˌælboʊmɑːrdʒɪˈnɑːtə/ is a tropical pitcher plant native to Borneo, Peninsular Malaysia, and Sumatra. [4] [5]

The specific epithet albomarginata, formed from the Latin words albus (white) and marginatus (margin), refers to the white band of trichomes that is characteristic of this species. [4]

Botanical history

Nepenthes albomarginata in the Bogor Botanical Gardens Nepenthes albomarginata (Bogor botanical park).jpg
Nepenthes albomarginata in the Bogor Botanical Gardens

Nepenthes albomarginata was first collected by Thomas Lobb in 1848. It was formally described a year later by John Lindley in The Gardeners' Chronicle . [3] [6]

The species was introduced into cultivation in the United Kingdom in 1856. [6]

In the 1996 book Pitcher-Plants of Borneo , N. albomarginata is given the vernacular name white-collared pitcher-plant. [6] This name, along with all others, was dropped from the much-expanded second edition, published in 2008. [7]

Description

Nepenthes albomarginata is a climbing plant. The stem may reach lengths of up to 4 metres (13 ft) and is up to 5 millimetres (0.20 in) in diameter. Internodes are cylindrical in cross section and up to 15 centimetres (5.9 in) long. [8]

Bako NP N. albomarginata.jpg
Bako N. albomarginata 2.jpg
Upper pitchers of two colour forms from Bako National Park, Sarawak

Leaves are coriaceous in texture. The lamina or leaf blade is lanceolate in shape and up to 25 centimetres (9.8 in) long by 2 centimetres (0.79 in) wide. It has an acute apex and its base is gradually attenuate and amplexicaul. The leaves of this species are characteristic in that they completely lack a petiole. Longitudinal veins are indistinct. Tendrils are up to 20 centimetres (7.9 in) long. [8]

Rosette and lower pitchers are bulbous in the basal third and cylindrical above. They are relatively small, reaching only 15 centimetres (5.9 in) in height by 4 centimetres (1.6 in) in width. A pair of fringed wings up to 5 millimetres (0.20 in) wide runs down the front of each pitcher. The pitcher mouth is round and rises to form a short neck at the rear. The peristome is cylindrical in cross section, up to 2 millimetres (0.079 in) wide, and bears indistinct teeth. [8] The inner portion of the peristome accounts for around 34% of its total cross-sectional surface length. [9] A dense band of short white trichomes is present directly below the peristome, although these may be missing from pitchers that have caught termites. The glandular region covers the bulbous portion of the pitcher's inner surface. The lid or operculum is suborbicular and lacks appendages. An unbranched spur (≤3 millimetres (0.12 in) long) is inserted near the base of the lid. [8]

Upper pitchers are similar to their lower counterparts in most respects. They are cylindrical-infundibular throughout and have a pair of ribs in place of wings. [8]

Nepenthes albomarginata has a racemose inflorescence that is usually longer in male plants. The peduncle is up to 25 centimetres (9.8 in) long, while the rachis reaches lengths of up to 40 centimetres (16 in). Partial peduncles are one- or two-flowered, up to 30 millimetres (1.2 in) long, and lack a bract. Sepals are obovate to oblong in shape and up to 4 millimetres (0.16 in) long. [8] A study of 120 pollen samples taken from a herbarium specimen (J.H.Adam 2417, collected in Borneo at an altitude of 0–30 metres (0–98 ft)) found the mean pollen diameter to be 31.8 μm (0.00125 in) (SE = 0.4; CV = 6.2%). [10]

Most parts of the plant are covered in a dense indumentum of very short, stellate white hairs. However, the underside of the lamina bears a dense covering of long hairs. [8]

Ecology

Nepenthes albomarginata is a widespread species, occurring in Borneo, Peninsular Malaysia, and Sumatra. It is also found on smaller islands such as Nias and Penang. [11] [12] It has an altitudinal distribution of 0–1200 m above sea level. [13]

N. albomarginata growing in Sumatran heath forest Nepenthes albomarginata purple.jpg
N. albomarginata growing in Sumatran heath forest

Its typical habitat consists of kerangas forest, but it has also been recorded from the summit vegetation of lowland peaks. [8] It is known from peat and limestone substrates. [8] [14]

Carnivory

Nepenthes albomarginata with trichomes cropped.jpg
Nepenthes albomarginata without trichomes cropped.jpg
A lower pitcher with an intact band of trichomes (left) and one lacking them (right)

Nepenthes albomarginata is notable for specializing in termites; most of the species in the genus Nepenthes are unselective about their prey. According to botanist Marlis A. Merbach and coworkers, this specialization to a single prey taxon is unique amongst carnivorous plants. [15] [16] [17] [18] [19]

Nepenthes albomarginata has a unique morphological feature: a rim of living white trichomes directly below the peristome. The rim's hairs tend to be missing from pitchers that have caught termites. Merbach said "For several days, nothing would happen, then — after a single night — pitchers would fill with termites and their rim hairs would disappear."

Merbach investigated this phenomenon by placing fresh intact pitchers, together with pitchers with their white rims removed, near to the head of foraging columns of the termite Hospitalitermes bicolor . [15] When the column found the pitcher, termites grazed on the rim.

While grazing, many termites (both workers and soldiers) fell into the pitchers. Once in the pitcher, they were unable to climb out. Merbach counted up to 22 individuals per minute falling into the pitchers and noted that the capture rate could easily exceed this for denser columns. After about an hour, the hairs were all gone and the pitcher was evidently no longer attractive to termites (and was filled with termites trying to escape).

It is not known how the trichomes lure termites to the plant. Merbach detected no long-range olfactory attraction during his experiments and noted that "all contacts seemed to happen by chance, with termites often missing pitchers less than 1 cm away from them."

Merbach also points out that N. albomarginata is the only plant species to offer its tissue as a bait.

In 2001, Clarke performed a cladistic analysis of the Nepenthes species of Sumatra and Peninsular Malaysia using 70 morphological characteristics of each taxon. The following is a portion of the resultant cladogram, showing "Clade 6", which is only weakly supported at 50%. The sister pair of N. angasanensis and N. mikei has 79% support. [4]

Nepenthes adnata1.jpg
Nalbomarginata1.jpg
Lower pitchers of N. adnata (left) and a purple form of N. albomarginata (right)
50%

Infraspecific taxa

Natural hybrids

N. albomarginata x N. gracilis N. albomarginata x N. gracilis.jpg
N. albomarginata × N. gracilis

N. albomarginata × N. northiana

An upper pitcher of N. x cincta Nepenthes cincta.jpg
An upper pitcher of N. × cincta

Nepenthes × cincta is a rare plant and, due to the localised distribution of N. northiana, only grows at a few sites in Bau, Sarawak, usually on a substrate of limestone.

The traits of N. albomarginata are very dominant in this hybrid; the wide flared peristome of its larger parent species (N. northiana) is almost completely lost. Pitchers are narrowly infundibulate (funnel-shaped) throughout and range in colour from cream to dusky purple with red or black spots. [27]

N. albomarginata × N. reinwardtiana

Its natural range covers the islands Borneo and Sumatra. The type specimen was collected by Shigeo Kurata in Kenukat, West Kalimantan, in 1981. Kurata described the hybrid the following year.

Related Research Articles

<i>Nepenthes rafflesiana</i> Species of pitcher plant from Southeast Asia

Nepenthes rafflesiana, or Raffles' pitcher-plant, is a species of tropical pitcher plant. It has a very wide distribution covering Borneo, Sumatra, Peninsular Malaysia, and Singapore. Nepenthes rafflesiana is extremely variable, with numerous forms and varieties described. In Borneo alone, there are at least three distinct varieties. The giant form of this species produces enormous pitchers rivalling those of N. rajah in size.

<i>Nepenthes ampullaria</i> Species of pitcher plant

Nepenthes ampullaria is a very distinctive and widespread species of tropical pitcher plant, present in Borneo, the Maluku Islands, New Guinea, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Sumatra, and Thailand.

<i>Nepenthes gracilis</i> Species of pitcher plant from Southeast Asia

Nepenthes gracilis, or the slender pitcher-plant, is a common lowland pitcher plant that is widespread in the Sunda region. It has been recorded from Borneo, Cambodia, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Sulawesi, Sumatra, and Thailand. The species has a wide altitudinal distribution of 0 to 1100 m above sea level, although most populations are found below 100 m and plants are rare above 1000 m. Despite being a widespread plant, natural hybrids between N. gracilis and other species are quite rare.

<i>Nepenthes hirsuta</i> Species of pitcher plant from Borneo

Nepenthes hirsuta, the hairy pitcher-plant, is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Borneo. It is characterised by an indumentum of thick brown hairs, which is even present on the inflorescence. Pitchers are mostly green throughout with some having red blotches on the inside surfaces.

<i>Nepenthes reinwardtiana</i> Species of pitcher plant from Southeast Asia

Nepenthes reinwardtiana is a tropical pitcher plant native to Borneo and Sumatra and to a number of smaller surrounding islands including Bangka, Natuna, Nias, and Siberut. Although some sources have included Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore within the range of this species, these records appear to be erroneous.

<i>Nepenthes bicalcarata</i> Species of pitcher plant from Borneo

Nepenthes bicalcarata, also known as the fanged pitcher-plant, is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to northwestern Borneo, Indonesia. It is a myrmecophyte noted for its mutualistic association with a species of ant, Camponotus schmitzi. As an ant-fed plant it lacks many of the features that characterise the carnivorous syndrome in Nepenthes, including viscoelastic and highly acidic pitcher fluid, the waxy zone of the pitcher interior, and possibly even functional digestive enzymes.

<i>Nepenthes veitchii</i> Species of pitcher plant from Borneo

Nepenthes veitchii, or Veitch's pitcher-plant, is a Nepenthes species from the island of Borneo. The plant is widespread in north-western Borneo and can also be found in parts of Kalimantan. It grows in lowland Dipterocarp forest, typically near rivers, and on ridgetops in mossy forests, from 0 to 1,600 meters elevation. Nepenthes veitchii usually grows as an epiphyte, though the form from Bario seems to be strictly terrestrial and has not been observed to climb trees.

<i>Nepenthes mirabilis</i> Wide-ranging species of tropical pitcher plant

Nepenthes mirabilis, or the common swamp pitcher-plant and tropical pitcher plant, is a carnivorous plant species. By far the most widespread of all Nepenthes, its range covers continental Southeast Asia and all major islands of the Malay Archipelago, stretching from China in the north to Australia in the south. The species exhibits great variability throughout its range. One of the more notable varieties, N. mirabilis var. echinostoma, is endemic to Brunei and Sarawak and possesses an extremely wide peristome.

<i>Nepenthes stenophylla</i> Species of pitcher plant from Borneo

Nepenthes stenophylla, or the narrow-leaved pitcher-plant, is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Borneo. The species produces attractive funnel-shaped pitchers up to 25 cm high. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Nepenthes stenophylla belongs to the loosely defined "N. maxima complex", which also includes, among other species, N. boschiana, N. chaniana, N. epiphytica, N. eymae, N. faizaliana, N. fusca, N. klossii, N. maxima, N. platychila, and N. vogelii.

Dr. Charles M. Clarke is an ecologist and botanist specialising in the carnivorous plant genus Nepenthes, for which he is regarded as a world authority. Clarke has an honours degree in Botany from Monash University in Melbourne, and a Ph.D. in Ecosystem management at the University of New England, in Armidale, New South Wales.

<i>Nepenthes macfarlanei</i> Species of pitcher plant from Peninsular Malaysia

Nepenthes macfarlanei is a carnivorous pitcher plant species endemic to Peninsular Malaysia. It produces attractive red-speckled pitchers. Lower pitchers are ovoid or infundibular in the lower half and globose or cylindrical above and up to 25 cm high. Upper (aerial) pitchers are of a lighter colour with wings reduced to ribs. The lower surface of the lid is densely covered with short, white hairs. This is a characteristic morphological feature of this species, but at present its function is unknown.

<i>Nepenthes muluensis</i> Tropical pitcher plant endemic to Borneo

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<i>Nepenthes adnata</i> Endangered species of pitcher plant from Sumatra

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<i>Nepenthes bongso</i> Species of pitcher plant from Sumatra

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<i>Nepenthes gymnamphora</i> Species of pitcher plant from Indonesia

Nepenthes gymnamphora is a tropical pitcher plant native to the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra. It has a wide altitudinal range of 600–2,800 metres (2,000–9,200 ft) above sea level. There is much debate surrounding the taxonomic status of this species and the taxa N. pectinata and N. xiphioides.

<i>Nepenthes eustachya</i> Species of pitcher plant from Sumatra

Nepenthes eustachya is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Sumatra, where it grows from sea level to an elevation of 1600 m. The specific epithet eustachya, formed from the Greek words eu (true) and stachys (spike), refers to the racemose structure of the inflorescence.

<i>Nepenthes inermis</i> Species of pitcher plant from Sumatra

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<i>Nepenthes <span style="font-style:normal;">×</span> hookeriana</i> Species of pitcher plant from Southeast Asia

Nepenthes × hookeriana, or Hooker's pitcher-plant, is a common natural hybrid involving N. ampullaria and N. rafflesiana. It was originally described as a species.

<i>Nepenthes <span style="font-style:normal;">×</span> trichocarpa</i> Species of pitcher plant from Southeast Asia

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<i>Nepenthes <span style="font-style:normal;">×</span> sharifah-hapsahii</i> Species of carnivorous plant

Nepenthes × sharifah-hapsahii is a natural hybrid between N. gracilis and N. mirabilis. It has been recorded from Borneo, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, and Thailand, although it was originally described as a species endemic to Peninsular Malaysia, where it was said to grow at elevations below 1000 m.

References

  1. ↑ Ashton, P.S. 1971. The plants and vegetation of Bako National Park. Malayan Nature Journal24: 151–162.
  2. ↑ Clarke, C.M. (2018). "Nepenthes albomarginata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2018: e.T39639A143958253. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-1.RLTS.T39639A143958253.en . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  3. 1 2 Lindley, J. 1849. Familiar botany. — The pitcher plant. The Gardeners' Chronicle and Agricultural Gazette 1849(37): 580–581.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Clarke, C.M. 2001. Nepenthes of Sumatra and Peninsular Malaysia . Natural History Publications (Borneo), Kota Kinabalu.
  5. ↑ Adam, J.H., C.C. Wilcock & M.D. Swaine 1989. Ecology and taxonomy of Bornean Nepenthes. University of Aberdeen Tropical Biology Newsletter56: 2–4.
  6. 1 2 3 Phillipps, A. & A. Lamb 1996. Pitcher-Plants of Borneo . Natural History Publications (Borneo), Kota Kinabalu.
  7. ↑ Phillipps, A., A. Lamb & C.C. Lee 2008. Pitcher Plants of Borneo . Second Edition. Natural History Publications (Borneo), Kota Kinabalu.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Clarke, C.M. 1997. Nepenthes of Borneo . Natural History Publications (Borneo), Kota Kinabalu.
  9. ↑ 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 Biology25(1): 90–102. doi : 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2011.02406.x
  10. ↑ Adam, J.H. & C.C. Wilcock 1999. Palynological study of Bornean Nepenthes (Nepenthaceae). Pertanika Journal of Tropical Agricultural Science22(1): 1–7.
  11. ↑ McPherson, S.R. & A. Robinson 2012. Field Guide to the Pitcher Plants of Peninsular Malaysia and Indochina . Redfern Natural History Productions, Poole.
  12. ↑ McPherson, S.R. & A. Robinson 2012. Field Guide to the Pitcher Plants of Sumatra and Java . Redfern Natural History Productions, Poole.
  13. ↑ Adam, J.H., C.C. Wilcock & M.D. Swaine 1992. The ecology and distribution of Bornean Nepenthes. Archived 2011-07-22 at the Wayback Machine Journal of Tropical Forest Science5(1): 13–25.
  14. ↑ Anderson, J.A.R. 1965. Limestone habitat in Sarawak. Proceedings of the Symposium on Ecological Research in Humid Tropics Vegetation, July 1963, Kuching, Sarawak. pp. 49–57.
  15. 1 2 Merbach, M.A., D.J. Merbach, U. Maschwitz, W.E. Booth, B. Fiala & G. Zizka 2002. Mass march of termites into the deadly trap. Nature415: 36–37. doi : 10.1038/415036a
  16. ↑ Clarke, T. 2002. Plant has taste for termites. Nature News, January 3, 2002. doi : 10.1038/news020101-4
  17. ↑ Moran, J.A., M.A. Merbach, N.J. Livingston, C.M. Clarke & W.E. Booth 2001. Termite prey specialization in the pitcher plant Nepenthes albomarginata—evidence from stable isotope analysis. Annals of Botany88: 307–311. doi : 10.1006/anbo.2001.1460
  18. ↑ Merbach, M.A., D.J. Merbach, W.E. Booth, U. Maschwitz, G. Zizka & B. Fiala 2000. A unique niche in plant carnivory: Nepenthes albomarginata feeds on epigaeically mass foraging termites. Tagungsband gtö 2000 13. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Tropenökologie 1–3. March 2000 in Würzburg Lehrstuhl für Tierökologie und Tropenbiologie Universität Würzburg. p. 105.
  19. ↑ (in German) Merbach, D. & M. Merbach 2002. Auf der Suche nach Nahrung in die Todesfalle. Über die merkwürdigen Ernährungsgewohnheiten der fleischfressenden Kannenpflanze Nepenthes albomarginata. Forschung Frankfurt 2002(3): 74–77.
  20. ↑ Macfarlane, J.M. 1908. Nepenthaceae. In: A. Engler. Das Pflanzenreich IV, III, Heft 36: 1–91.
  21. 1 2 (in German) Beck, G. 1895. Die Gattung Nepenthes. Wiener Illustrirte Garten-Zeitung20(3–6): 96–107, 141–150, 182–192, 217–229.
  22. ↑ (in Latin) Hooker, J.D. 1873. Ordo CLXXV bis. Nepenthaceæ. In: A. de Candolle Prodromus Systematis Naturalis Regni Vegetabilis 17: 90–105.
  23. 1 2 3 4 McPherson, S.R. 2009. Pitcher Plants of the Old World . 2 volumes. Redfern Natural History Productions, Poole.
  24. ↑ Masters, M.T. 1884. New garden plants. Nepenthes cincta (Mast.), n. sp.. The Gardeners' Chronicle, new series, 21(540): 576–577.
  25. ↑ Lowrie, A. 1983. Sabah Nepenthes Expeditions 1982 & 1983. Carnivorous Plant Newsletter 12(4): 88–95.
  26. ↑ Shivas, R.G. 1985. Variation in Nepenthes albo-marginata. Carnivorous Plant Newsletter 14(1): 13–14.
  27. ↑ Clarke, C.M. & C.C. Lee 2004. Pitcher Plants of Sarawak . Natural History Publications (Borneo), Kota Kinabalu.

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