Nepenthes attenboroughii

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Nepenthes attenboroughii
Attlwr.jpg
A lower pitcher of N. attenboroughii showing the characteristic bell-shaped pitchers and upright lid of this species
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Nepenthaceae
Genus: Nepenthes
Species:
N. attenboroughii
Binomial name
Nepenthes attenboroughii

Nepenthes attenboroughii ( /nɪˈpɛnθiːzˌætənˈbʌriaɪ,-ˌætənbəˈroʊɡiaɪ/ ), or Attenborough's pitcher plant, [3] is a montane species of carnivorous pitcher plant of the genus Nepenthes . It is named after the celebrated broadcaster and naturalist Sir David Attenborough, [4] [5] who is a keen enthusiast of the genus. The species is characterised by its large and distinctive bell-shaped lower and upper pitchers and narrow, upright lid. [2] The type specimen of N. attenboroughii was collected on the summit of Mount Victoria, an ultramafic mountain in central Palawan, the Philippines. [2]

In May 2010, the International Institute for Species Exploration at Arizona State University selected N. attenboroughii as one of the "top 10 new species described in 2009". [6] [7] The species appeared on the 2012 list of the world's 100 most threatened species compiled by the IUCN Species Survival Commission in collaboration with the Zoological Society of London. [3]

Botanical history

Nepenthes attenboroughii was discovered by Alastair Robinson, Stewart R. McPherson and Volker B. Heinrich in June 2007, during a 2 month research expedition to catalogue the different species of pitcher plant found across the Philippine Archipelago. [8] The expedition was initiated after missionaries reported seeing giant Nepenthes on the mountain in 2000. [5] [9] [10] [11]

The formal description of N. attenboroughii was published in February 2009 in the Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society . The herbarium specimen A. Robinson AR001 is the designated holotype, and is deposited at the herbarium of Palawan State University (PPC), Puerto Princesa City. [2]

Further accounts of this species appeared in McPherson's Pitcher Plants of the Old World , published in May 2009, [12] and in the December 2009 issue of the Carnivorous Plant Newsletter . [13]


Description

Nepenthes attenboroughii is a terrestrial upright or scrambling shrub. The stem, which may be up to 3.5 cm thick, is circular in cross section and attains a height of up to 1.5 m. [2]

Leaves and pitchers

The leaves are coriaceous and sessile or sub-petiolate. The leaves of rosettes are up to 30 cm long and 10 cm wide, whereas those of the scrambling stem are up to 40 cm long and 15 cm wide. The leaves are oblong to elliptic, obtuse at the apex and shortly attenuate at the base, clasping the stem by approximately two-thirds of its circumference and becoming decurrent for 2–3 cm. [2]

The rosette (juvenile) pitchers of N. attenboroughii demonstrate the typical bell shape of this species when only a few inches high Attrstt.jpg
The rosette (juvenile) pitchers of N. attenboroughii demonstrate the typical bell shape of this species when only a few inches high

Nepenthes attenboroughii produces some of the largest pitchers in the genus, sometimes exceeding those of typical N. rajah in size, but is not known to have exceeded the size and volume records set by that species. [2] The largest recorded pitcher of N. attenboroughii measured more than 1.5 litres in volume, and traps exceeding 2 litres are likely to be produced on occasion. [12] The lower pitchers are brittle and campanulate (bell-shaped), up to 30 cm tall and 16 cm wide and emerge from tendrils that are 30–40 cm long and 4–9 mm in diameter. The tendrils are flattened towards the leaf, making them almost semi-circular in cross section.

The upper pitchers are similar to the lower pitchers, but generally infundibular, to 25 cm tall and 12 cm wide.

The pitchers show considerable variation in both shape and colouration, ranging from green or yellow to dark purple throughout. [14]

Inflorescence

Nepenthes attenboroughii has a racemose inflorescence up to 80 cm long. The male flower spike bears approximately 100 pedicellate flowers on a rachis up to 45 cm long and is recorded to bifurcate on occasion. The flowers lack bracts and produce red tepals that are broadly ovate with an obtuse apex.

The female inflorescence is shorter, to 65 cm long, never bifurcates, and bears up to 70 densely arranged flowers on a compact rachis up to 20 cm long. The tepals are brown to purple, ovate, and have an acute apex. [2]

Distribution and habitat

This species is endemic to the Victoria Massif in Palawan. There, it grows from 1450 m above sea level to the summit of Mount Victoria at 1726 m. [15] Originally known only from Mount Victoria itself, it has since been found on the largest peak of the Victoria Massif, Mount Sagpaw, and along the connecting ridges from the site of first collection. [15] [16] [17] [18] The species is found among shrubs 0.8–1.8 m tall in relatively scattered populations of plants on rocky, ultramafic soil. It is not sympatric with other Nepenthes species and no natural hybrids have been recorded. [2] [12]

The summit flora of Mount Victoria includes Leptospermum sp., Medinilla spp., Dracaena sp., Vaccinium sp., various grasses, as well as the sundew Drosera ultramafica , which grows at similar elevations to N. attenboroughii. [19]

Conservation

Nepenthes attenboroughii is assessed as Critically Endangered by the World Conservation Union (IUCN) on account of its restricted distribution and the threat posed by plant poachers. [1]

Carnivory

A lower pitcher of N. attenboroughii supporting a large population of mosquito larvae Attlwmosq.jpg
A lower pitcher of N. attenboroughii supporting a large population of mosquito larvae

The pitchers of N. attenboroughii are open to the elements and thus often completely filled with fluid. This fluid is viscous in the lower part of the pitcher and watery above, forming two fractions that do not mix. The upper fraction supports populations of pitcher infauna, particularly mosquito larvae, and the pitchers of this species may benefit from both the usual capture of prey as well as the detritus produced by organisms living within the pitcher fluid. [2]

In the latter half of 2009, this taxon received a great deal of publicity in the national press of various countries as a sensational new plant that catches and kills rats. [20] Whilst certainly large enough to trap rodents, no rodents of any kind had, at that time, been observed within the pitchers of this species, as indicated in the type description and through subsequent clarification by the author, Alastair Robinson, who suggested that were rodents to be captured by the plant, it was likely to be through misadventure rather than by design, large bugs and flying insects appearing to be the usual prey. [2] [21]

In October 2012, however, a dead shrew was found in a pitcher of Nepenthes attenboroughii during a return expedition to Mount Victoria by Robinson and a group of naturalists. [22] Yet another visit almost two months later, in December 2012, allowed the botanist to assess and document the rate of digestion on video. It was found that the corpse of the shrew had, in the intervening weeks, progressed from a wholly intact state to mere skeletal remains, with only scant viscera and a matte of hair at the bottom of the pitcher still apparent. [23] [24]

Botanist Alastair Robinson examines the pitcher contents of N. attenboroughii on Mount Victoria, wherein the remains of a newly killed terrestrial shrew identified in the pitcher in October 2012 have been largely digested by December of the same year.

Nepenthes attenboroughii is closely related to the Palawan species, N. deaniana , N. leonardoi , [25] N. mantalingajanensis , N. mira , and N. palawanensis (which produces even larger pitchers), [26] [27] to N. peltata from Mindanao, and to N. rajah from Borneo. [2]

The stated relationship of this taxon with species from Borneo and Mindanao agrees with observations made in the description of N. mira , [28] and is further supported in the type description of N. attenboroughii by previously overlooked paleogeographical evidence. Based on this evidence, the authors reason that these species, predominantly found growing on ultramafic soils on Palawan and Mindanao, are likely to have arisen as a result of the radiative speciation of a common ancestor in Borneo. [2]

See also

Related Research Articles

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

Nepenthes macrovulgaris, or the serpentine pitcher-plant, is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Borneo. It is a lowland plant that typically grows at altitudes ranging from 300 to 1200 m in sub-montane forest clearings and mossy forest. Its range is restricted to ultramafic habitats, including Mount Kinabalu, Mount Tambuyukon, the Danum Valley, the Tawai Range, the Meliau Range and Mount Silam, all in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. Pitchers grow to around 25 cm high and range in colour from green to brown, with the speckled form being the most common.

<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.

<i>Nepenthes philippinensis</i> Species of pitcher plant from the Philippines

Nepenthes philippinensis is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to the Philippines. It is known from Palawan and the neighbouring Calamian Islands and Linapacan, where it grows at 0–600 metres (2,000 ft) above sea level.

<i>Nepenthes mira</i> Tropical pitcher plant endemic to the Philippines

Nepenthes mira is a highland pitcher plant endemic to Palawan in the Philippines. It grows at elevations of 1550–1605 m above sea level.

Ch'ien C. Lee is a photographer and botanist specialising in the carnivorous plant genus Nepenthes. Lee has described several new Nepenthes species, including N. baramensis, N. chaniana, N. gantungensis, N. glandulifera, N. jamban, N. lingulata, N. palawanensis, N. pitopangii, N. platychila, and N. harauensis. Lee also described the natural hybrid N. × bauensis.

<i>Nepenthes deaniana</i> Species of pitcher plant from the Philippines

Nepenthes deaniana is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to the Philippines, where it grows at an altitude of 1180–1296 m above sea level. The species is known only from the summit region of Thumb Peak, a relatively small, ultramafic mountain in Puerto Princesa Province, Palawan.

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

Nepenthes chaniana is a tropical pitcher plant species belonging to the genus Nepenthes. It is characterised by a dense indumentum of long, white hairs. Pitchers are cylindrical and mostly white to yellow in colouration. Nepenthes chaniana belongs to the loosely defined "N. maxima complex", which also includes, among other species, N. boschiana, N. epiphytica, N. eymae, N. faizaliana, N. fusca, N. klossii, N. maxima, N. platychila, N. stenophylla, and N. vogelii.

<i>Nepenthes mantalingajanensis</i> Tropical pitcher plant endemic to the Philippines

Nepenthes mantalingajanensis is a tropical pitcher plant known only from the summit region of Mount Mantalingajan, the highest point on the Philippine island of Palawan, after which it is named.

Mount Victoria, or Victoria Peaks, is a mountain in central Palawan, Philippines, that lies within the administrative Municipality of Narra. The mountain, which includes the twin peaks known as "The Teeth", as well as the single prominence known as Sagpaw, form the largest contiguous land area and second highest portion of the Mount Beaufort Ultramafics geological region, a series of ultramafic outcrops of Eocene origin, that includes Palawan's highest peak, Mount Mantalingahan.

<i>Nepenthes peltata</i> Species of pitcher plant from the Philippines

Nepenthes peltata is a tropical pitcher plant known only from the upper slopes of Mount Hamiguitan on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines. It is characterised by a peltate tendril attachment and conspicuous indumentum. The species typically produces ovoid pitchers with a prominent basal crest and large nectar glands on the lower surface of the lid.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alastair Robinson</span> Botanist and Botanical illustrator

Alastair S. Robinson is a taxonomist and field botanist specialising in the carnivorous plant genus Nepenthes, for which he is regarded as a world authority. He is currently Manager Biodiversity Services at the National Herbarium of Victoria, Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne, where he oversees identification botany services, the Library and Artwork components of the State Botanical Collection, and the botanical journal Muelleria, a peer-reviewed scientific journal on botany published by the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, for which he is Editor in Chief.

Volker Bernd Heinrich is a German naturalist.

<i>Nepenthes palawanensis</i> Species of pitcher plant from the Philippines

Nepenthes palawanensis is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Sultan Peak on the island of Palawan in the Philippines, where it grows at elevations of 1,100–1,236 m (3,609–4,055 ft) above sea level. It was discovered in February 2010 by Jehson Cervancia and Stewart McPherson.

<i>Nepenthes gantungensis</i> Species of pitcher plant from the Philippines

Nepenthes gantungensis is a tropical pitcher plant known from a single peak on the Philippine island of Palawan, where it grows at elevations of 1600–1784 m above sea level.

<i>Nepenthes hamiguitanensis</i> Species of pitcher plant from the Philippines

Nepenthes hamiguitanensis is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to a single peak on the Philippine island of Mindanao, where it grows at elevations of 1200–1600 m above sea level. Once thought to be a natural hybrid between N. micramphora and N. peltata, this plant is now considered a species of possible hybridogenic origin. It produces squat upper pitchers that vary greatly in pigmentation, from red speckled to yellow throughout.

<i>Nepenthes leonardoi</i> Species of pitcher plant from the Philippines

Nepenthes leonardoi is a tropical pitcher plant known from a single locality in central Palawan, the Philippines. It is closely allied to several other Palawan endemics, including N. deaniana, N. gantungensis, and N. mira. The traps of this species reach at least 24 cm in height. Some specimens are noted for producing very dark, almost black, upper pitchers.

Nepenthes sp. Anipahan is an undescribed tropical pitcher plant known only from Mount Anipahan in central Palawan, the Philippines, where it grows in upper montane forest at 1200–1400 m above sea level. It is very closely allied to N. leonardoi and may be conspecific with it.

References

  1. 1 2 Robinson, A.S.; Madulid, D.A. (2012). "Nepenthes attenboroughii". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2012. IUCN: e.T159126A790335. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2012-1.RLTS.T159126A790335.en .
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Robinson, A.S., A.S. Fleischmann, S.R. McPherson, V.B. Heinrich, E.P. Gironella & C.Q. Peña 2009. A spectacular new species of Nepenthes L. (Nepenthaceae) pitcher plant from central Palawan, Philippines. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society159(2): 195–202. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8339.2008.00942.x
  3. 1 2 Baillie, J.E.M. & E.R. Butcher 2012. Priceless or Worthless? The world's most threatened species. Archived 2012-10-21 at the Wayback Machine Zoological Society of London, United Kingdom.
  4. ↑ George, A. & K. Austen 2009. #AskAttenborough: Your questions answered. New Scientist, May 15, 2009.
  5. 1 2 Smyth, C. 2009. Giant rat-eating nepenthes plant named after David Attenborough. Times Online, August 18, 2009.
  6. ↑ Scientists select new species for top 10 list; issue SOS. ASU News, May 20, 2010.
  7. ↑ Top 10 - 2010: Attenborough's Pitcher Archived 2010-05-25 at the Wayback Machine . International Institute for Species Exploration.
  8. ↑ European botanists find new Palawan plant. Manila Bulletin, October 16, 2007.
  9. ↑ Walker, M. 2009. Giant 'meat-eating' plant found. BBC Earth News, August 11, 2009.
  10. ↑ McPherson, S.R. 2009. The Discovery of Nepenthes attenboroughii. In: Pitcher Plants of the Old World . Volume 2. Redfern Natural History Productions, Poole. pp. 1320–1333.
  11. ↑ McPherson, S.R. 2011. The Discovery of Nepenthes attenboroughii. In: New Nepenthes: Volume One . Redfern Natural History Productions, Poole. pp. 174–202.
  12. 1 2 3 McPherson, S.R. 2009. Pitcher Plants of the Old World . 2 volumes. Redfern Natural History Productions, Poole.
  13. ↑ McPherson, S. 2009. Nepenthes attenboroughii: a new species of giant pitcher plant from the Philippines. Carnivorous Plant Newsletter 38(4): 100–101.
  14. ↑ Mey, F.S. 2014. Highlighting Nepenthes variation within a species. Strange Fruits: A Garden's Chronicle, July 3, 2014.
  15. 1 2 McPherson, S.R. & V.B. Amoroso 2011. Field Guide to the Pitcher Plants of the Philippines . Redfern Natural History Productions, Poole.
  16. ↑ McPherson, S.R. 2011. Expanding the Range of Nepenthes attenboroughii. In: New Nepenthes: Volume One . Redfern Natural History Productions, Poole. pp. 346–363.
  17. ↑ Cullen, D. & B. Quinn 2012. Exploring Mount Victoria, Central Palawan – revisiting the habitat of N. attenboroughii. Part 1: Mt Victoria – Peak 1 & 2. Victorian Carnivorous Plant Society Inc. 105: 6–13.
  18. ↑ Cullen, D. & B. Quinn 2012. Exploring Mount Victoria, Central Palawan – revisiting the habitat of N. attenboroughii. Part 2: Mt Sagpaw. Victorian Carnivorous Plant Society Inc. 106: 6–12.
  19. ↑ Fleischmann, A., A.S. Robinson, S. McPherson, V. Heinrich, E. Gironella & D.A. Madulid 2011. Drosera ultramafica (Droseraceae), a new sundew species of the ultramafic flora of the Malesian highlands. Blumea56(1): 10–15.
  20. ↑ Google 2009. Rodent-eating plant discovered in Palawan. Google News aggregator, August 18, 2009.
  21. ↑ Robinson, A.S. 2009. Nepenthes attenboroughii in the press. CPUK Forum, August 19, 2009.
  22. ↑ Giant Nepenthes Trip: Mt. Victoria Philippines. Leilani Nepenthes - Photo Archives.
  23. ↑ Mey, F.S. 2013. Terrestrial shrew remains in Nepenthes attenboroughii [VIDEO]. Strange Fruits: A Garden's Chronicle, August 22, 2013.
  24. ↑ Rediscovery of Nepenthes paniculata Archived 2017-12-01 at the Wayback Machine . [video] Redfern Natural History Productions.
  25. ↑ McPherson, S., G. Bourke, J. Cervancia, M. Jaunzems, E. Gironella, A. Robinson & A. Fleischmann 2011. Nepenthes leonardoi (Nepenthaceae), a new pitcher plant species from Palawan, Philippines. Carniflora Australis 8(1): 4–19.
  26. ↑ McPherson, S., J. Cervancia, C. Lee, M. Jaunzems, A. Fleischmann, F. Mey, E. Gironella & A. Robinson 2010. Nepenthes palawanensis (Nepenthaceae), a new pitcher plant species from Sultan Peak, Palawan Island, Philippines. In: S.R. McPherson Carnivorous Plants and their Habitats. Volume 2. Redfern Natural History Productions, Poole. pp. 1332–1339.
  27. ↑ McPherson, S. 2010. Nepenthes palawanensis: another new species of giant pitcher plant from the Philippines. Carnivorous Plant Newsletter 39(3): 89–90.
  28. ↑ Cheek, M.R. & M.H.P. Jebb 1999. Nepenthes (Nepenthaceae) in Palawan, Philippines. Kew Bulletin54(4): 887–895. doi : 10.2307/4111166

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