Date: Sat, 12 Feb 2000 17:24:47 -0500 From: "Dave Evans" <dpevans@rci.rutgers.edu> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg433$foo@default> Subject: Nepenthes taxonomy part 2
Hi Jan and Peter,
I don't how that last mail got out, I deferred it because I
still had to check for typos and it was incomplete. Peter is
probably wondering why I mentioned him... Anyway, I have two
other Nepenthes that have me confused (well, more than two have
me confused, but I'm only asked about two right now ;). Both
are supposedly _N. alata._ One is called N.alata 'Boshiana
Mimic' this one is glabrous. The pitchers are very ventricose
in the bottom 1/3, the middle is tubular, and the top 1/3 is
funnel shaped. In fact the bottom ventricose part of these
pitchers meets the rest of the pitcher at quite an angle because
it is so swollen. The lid is flat with two veins and there is
an appendage at the base of the lid. The lid and the opening of
the pitcher are very round. The second plant, also called _N.
alata,_ differs from the first by having a dense covering of
very short white hairs on the pitcher and tendril, the tendril
insertion on the upper leaves is a bit peltate. The pitcher
opening is twice as long as wide as is the lid which is bent
similar to the lids of _N.clipeata_, like an dome. This plant
is outlined in red and the pitchers are completely blood red,
there are numerous glands on the pitchers and tendril and they
are quite obvious, while the first plant has fewer and smaller
glands. I really doubt these are both the same species. So I
wonder where Peter got the first one as it reminds me more of
the description of _N.eustachya_ in that the base is so angular
and the plant is glabrous. However, on both plants the spur is
simple. Also Jebb and Cheek mention a sub-peltate leaf tip for
_N.eustachya_ but it's the furry plant that has this feature,
not the glabrous one.... It seems the more I try to figure
these plants out the more confusing it gets. I'm going to try
to contact the grower I received plant two from, perhaps he can
provide me the location data. Anyway, here is a link to a photo
that looks almost exactly like my plant #2, (it shows the long
openning of the pitcher, you guys sure this plant really belongs
under _N.alata_?):
http://www.hpl.hp.com/botany/public_html/cp/pictures/nepenthe/0064.htm
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