Nepenthes malayensis

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Nepenthes malayensis
N.m upper pitcher.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Nepenthaceae
Genus: Nepenthes
Species:
N. malayensis
Binomial name
Nepenthes malayensis
A.Amin, M.N.Faizal & Dome
Nepenthes malayensis upper pitchers and climbing stems (Photo by M. Alias) Nm upper pitchers.jpg
Nepenthes malayensis upper pitchers and climbing stems (Photo by M. Alias)

Nepenthes malayensis (A.Amin, M.N.Faizal & Dome), or the striped Malayan montane pitcher plant, is a large species of carnivorous tropical pitcher plant native and endemic to eastern mountains of Peninsular Malaysia. The peristomes on both upper and lower pitchers are profusely adorned by reddish bands, or stripes, making the species rather attractive. It grows close to mountain summits around 800–1000 m above sea level in partially shaded areas, though some individuals have been seen growing in open areas. The species was first observed in 2018 and initially thought to be conspecific with N. sanguinea . Nepenthes malayensis formal description was published in late 2020 in Kew Bulletin [1] and it is one of the three Malayan species described in the same year (the other two was N. latiffiana and N. domei ). [2]

Nepenthes malayensis is listed in the International Plant Names Index (PNI), and its taxonomic position gets briefly reviewed (and recognized as a distinct species) in Dionée 2021 [3] – a French-language official publication by Association Francophone des Amateurs de Plantes Carnivores (a French carnivorous plant society). The species joins a batch of newly described Nepenthes higlighted in New Nepenthes (vol. 2), a work by Stewart McPherson, and also in Associazione Italiana Piante Carnivore Magazine (AIPC) 62. The rRNA-ITS DNA region of N. malayensis has been sequenced and deposited to National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) database under the GenBank accession number MN347033.1.

This species has not been brought into the cultivation and the locations of the local populations have never been disclosed. Nepenthes malayensis only inhabits montane forests which are within the protected areas under the jurisdiction of the State Forestry Department, thus removing the plants from its habitat is considered poaching and legal actions can be taken. Collection of this critically endangered N. malayensis, as well as unauthorised possession of the species, is an offence and unlawful. [4]

Discovery and taxonomy

A large reddish upper trap of N. malayensis reaching 35 cm tall held by M. Alias. This very photograph was the one that firstly caught the attention of A. A. Tamizi, which brought the species to its formal description a couple of years after its first sighting in 2018. N.malayensis large.jpg
A large reddish upper trap of N. malayensis reaching 35 cm tall held by M. Alias. This very photograph was the one that firstly caught the attention of A. A. Tamizi, which brought the species to its formal description a couple of years after its first sighting in 2018.
Green lower pitchers of N. malayensis Malayensis lowers.jpg
Green lower pitchers of N. malayensis

Nepenthes malayensis was first sighted by two local nature photographers Dome Nikong and Mohamad Alias Shakri in 2018. Alias casually shared the sighting on his social media which later caught A. A. Tamizi 's attention in the same year who has been collecting information on Nepenthes in Malaysian forests since 2013. A field research crews composed of Dr. Mohd Norfaizal Ghazalli (MARDI, plant taxonomist), Amin Asyraf Tamizi (MARDI, molecular biologist), Dr. Edward Entalai Besi (UPM, plant taxonomist) and Muhamad Ikhawanuddin Mat Esa (UPM, ethnobotanist), and together with the two photographers, was promptly lined-up to have a closer look on the original population. The new plant was also appraised by Emeritus Professor Dato' Dr. Abdul Latiff Mohamad, a prominent national plant taxonomist from Univerisiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), as a undescribed species through photographs and specimens. The species was then formally described by Amin Asyraf Tamizi, Mohd Norfaizal Ghazalli and Dome Nikong, which was published in Kew Bulletin (vol. 75) on 20 December 2020.

The name 'malayensis' (- of Malaya) signifies the endemism of this species to Malaya, or Peninsular Malaysia, specifically to the eastern mountain range. Nepenthes malayensis was assessed as a critically endangered (CR) species according to the IUCN criteria since very few individuals were observed prior to the publication of the article. [1] This status may require a reassessment following a recent sighting of a few N. malayensis individuals in a neighboring mountain.

The species was mistaken as an allied taxon to N. sanguinea on the first sight due to a slight resemblance of the upper pitchers in green individuals. Detailed characterisation of the upper stems, lower pitchers, leaf surface, vascular bundle and DNA sequence (rRNA-ITS) have since established N. malayensis as a distinct species. Diagnostic characteristics that make N. malayensis distinct from N. sanguinea are cylindrical to broadly angular stem (vs. sharply angular), finely pubescent (hairy) leaves, pitchers and tendrils (vs. glabrescent), and stout to broad-cylindrical pitchers which are slightly constricting in the middle and below peristome (vs. narrow pitchers, funnel shaped). This huge Malayan Nepenthes also sports prominent stripes on the peristomes - an attribute persistent in both upper and lower pitchers of all individuals observed so far. Individuals with green pitchers were the most sighted natural varieties while dark-reddish varieties were less common and considered a rarity. Despite having morphological and geographical differences, the 610 bp rRNA-ITS sequence alignment shows N. malayensis shares the highest sequence similarity (99.84%) with three Peninsular Malaysian species – N. sanguinea, N. benstonei and N. albomarginata. A longer sequence coverage of the DNA region, or an alternative barcode region (such as rbcL gene) should have yielded a different result.

Compared to N. sanguinea, N. malayensis has not been observed growing on soil in its natural habitat. Nepenthes malayensis exclusively grows on humus accumulated on rocks (facultative lithophytic) or moss banks on tree branches making it a non-terrestrial Nepenthes, which might be the main factor of its elusiveness from past researchers and explorers.

Nepenthes malayensis joins the rank of large Nepenthes ever recorded in the wild as mature plants can grow pitchers up to 35 cm tall with volume around 800 mL. Nepenthes rajah , the largest species from Sabah, can grow pitchers up to 41 cm tall while N. truncata from southern Philippines and N.attenboroughii from Palawan have been recorded to produce pitchers 40 cm and 30 cm tall, respectively.

Nothospecies (natural hybrid)

Nothospecies (natural hybrids) of N. malayensis possibly exist within the same habitat based on sightings of some plants that resembled N. malayensis (but with slight different pitcher morphology especially the lid) and this has not been properly documented.

Related Research Articles

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

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<i>Nepenthes sanguinea</i> Species of pitcher plant from Thailand and Peninsular Malaysia

Nepenthes sanguinea is a large and vigorous Nepenthes pitcher plant species, native to Peninsular Malaysia and southernmost Thailand, where it grows at 300–1800 metres altitude. It is primarily a terrestrial species, but can grow as an epiphyte in the wet biome of upper montane forests. The pitchers are variable in size, from 10–30 cm tall, and range from green and yellow to orange and red. The insides of the pitchers are usually speckled with its two main colors. It was introduced to Victorian Britain around 1847 by Cornish plant hunter and botanist Thomas Lobb via the Veitch Nurseries.

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

Nepenthes northiana, or Miss North's pitcher-plant, is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Borneo, where it grows at elevations ranging from 0 to 500 m above sea level. The specific epithet northiana honours the English botanic illustrator Marianne North, who first depicted the species. Nepenthes northiana is one of the most famous Nepenthes, and its discovery in the latter half of the 19th century contributed to Sarawak's reputation as a land of spectacular exotic plants.

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

Nepenthes adnata is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to the Indonesian province of West Sumatra, where it grows at elevations of 600 to 1200 m above sea level. The specific epithet adnata is Latin for "broadly attached" and refers to the base of the lamina.

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

Nepenthes aristolochioides is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Sumatra, where it grows at elevations of 1800–2500 m above sea level. It has an extremely unusual pitcher morphology, having an almost vertical opening to its traps. It is critically endangered by overcollection.

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

Nepenthes benstonei is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Peninsular Malaysia, where it grows at elevations of 150–1350 m above sea level. The specific epithet benstonei honours botanist Benjamin Clemens Stone, who was one of the first to collect the species.

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

Nepenthes bongso is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Sumatra, where it has an altitudinal distribution of 1000–2700 m above sea level. The specific epithet bongso refers to the Indonesian legend of Putri Bungsu, the spirit guardian of Mount Marapi.

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

Nepenthes jacquelineae is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to the Indonesian island of Sumatra. Due to its unique pitcher morphology, it is considered to be one of the most spectacular Nepenthes species native to the island.

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

Nepenthes dubia is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to the Indonesian island of Sumatra, where it grows at an altitude of 1600–2700 m above sea level. The specific epithet dubia is the Latin word for "doubtful".

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

Nepenthes talangensis is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Sumatra, where it grows in upper montane forest at elevations of 1800–2500 m above sea level.

<i>Nepenthes mikei</i> Tropical pitcher plant endemic to Sumatra

Nepenthes mikei is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Sumatra. It is characterised by its black mottled lower and upper pitchers. The species is closely related to N. angasanensis and N. tobaica.

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

Nepenthes inermis is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to the Indonesian island of Sumatra. The specific epithet inermis is Latin for "unarmed" and refers to the upper pitchers of this species, which are unique in that they completely lack a peristome.

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

Nepenthes spectabilis is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Sumatra, where it grows at elevations of between 1400 and 2200 m above sea level. The specific epithet spectabilis is Latin for "visible" or "notable".

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

Nepenthes junghuhnii is a tropical pitcher plant native to Sumatra. This species has been the source of much confusion since its discovery. The taxon originally named N. junghuhnii by John Muirhead Macfarlane has never been formally published. In 1994, taxonomist Jan Schlauer described N. junghuhnii as a "rather dubious species based on insufficient specimens". Nepenthes junghuhniisensu Macfarlane has not been relocated in the wild since the collection of the type specimen. It is characterised by strongly petiolate leaves and appears to be most closely related to N. bongso and N. spathulata; Schlauer considers it a possible synonym of the former.

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

Nepenthes kerrii is a tropical pitcher plant native to Tarutao National Marine Park in southern Thailand, where it grows at elevations of 400–500 m above sea level. The 2018 IUCN assessment also considers the taxon found on Langkawi Island of Malaysia to be conspecific. This species is thought to be most closely related to N. kongkandana. The specific epithet kerrii refers to Irish medical doctor Arthur Francis George Kerr, who made the first known herbarium collection of this species.

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

Nepenthes latiffiana is a pitcher plant species from Peninsular Malaysia described in the year 2020. It has been published in Webbia Journal of Plant Taxonomy and Geography in the first issue, volume 75, and made as the cover page for that issue. This species was described by Mohd Norfaizal Ghazalli (Ph.D), Amin Asyraf Tamizi and Dome Nikong, and name after a retired Professor of Botany from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia - Emeritus Professor Dato' Dr. Abdul Latiff Mohamad. The description was based on materials collected from a restricted area at the type locality in Setiu, Terengganu. Nepenthes latiffiana is characterized by a combination of green-yellowish-brown (peachy) coloration and several red blotches on its lower pitchers and light green upper pitchers that have 'flap-like' structures at the sides of the mouth due to expanded structure on the lateral sides of the peristomes.

<i>Nepenthes domei</i> Species of carnivorous plant

Nepenthes domei is a species of carnivorous tropical pitcher plant native to Peninsular Malaysia, growing at 800–1000 m above sea level. The species' description was published in Webbia together with N. latiffiana, and it is one of the latest three new Malayan species described in the same year. These discoveries have now made Peninsular Malaysia home to 15 species of Nepenthes.

Nepenthes limiana is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to the northern Titiwangsa Range in Peninsular Malaysia. Nepenthes limiana was compared to Nepenthes sericea and Nepenthes sanguinea. The species differs from N. sericea by its upper pitchers being narrowly cylindrical which has an infundibular base with a pitcher hip on the lower part as compared to the wholly infundibular pitcher with a pitcher hip just below the mouth or pitchers that are basally infundibular turning cylindrical to slightly infundibular above the medial hip in N. sericea. Additionally, the narrowly oblanceolate to almost linear laminae that are slightly decurrent and the proportionally wider and bulbous peristome of the lower pitchers which are often flared and crenellated characterize this species from the sessile and oblanceolate to obovate-oblong laminae and the proportionally thinner peristome that are expanded near column only and not crenellated in N. sericea.

References

  1. 1 2 Tamizi, Amin Asyraf; Ghazalli, Mohd Norfaizal; Nikong, Dome; Besi, Edward Entalai; Mat-Esa, Muhamad Ikhwanuddin; Mohd-Nordin, Anuar Rasyidi; Latiff, A.; Shakri, Mohamad Alias (2020-12-20). "Nepenthes malayensis (Nepenthaceae), a new species of carnivorous pitcher plant from Peninsular Malaysia". Kew Bulletin. 75 (4): 63. Bibcode:2020KewBu..75...63T. doi:10.1007/s12225-020-09918-z. ISSN   1874-933X. S2CID   234532520.
  2. ↑ Ghazalli, Mohd Norfaizal; Tamizi, Amin Asyraf; Nikong, Dome; Besi, Edward Entalai; Mat Esa, Muhamad Ikhawanuddin; Mohd Nordin, Anuar Rasyidi; Latiff, A.; Zaini, Ahmad Zaki; Shakri, Mohamad Alias (2020-07-01). "Nepenthes latiffiana and N. domei (Nepenthaceae), two new species of pitcher plants from Terengganu, Peninsular Malaysia". Webbia. 75 (1): 5–28. Bibcode:2020Webbi..75....5G. doi: 10.36253/jopt-7950 . ISSN   2169-4060.
  3. ↑ Bour, Aurélien (April 2021). "Bilan des nouvelles espèces de 2020". Dionée. 30 (4): 13–14.
  4. ↑ KKIENERM. "Wildlife, Forest & Fisheries Crime Module 3 Key Issues: Criminalization of Wildlife Trafficking". www.unodc.org. Retrieved 2023-06-18.
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