You know, I am not a big fan of this genus, but I think there *is*
something interesting about _N.mirabilis_. That is, while the various
_Nepenthes_ species like conditions of various wetness in the soil,
_N.mirabilis_ is the only species I have seen (photos of) growing in
standing water, almost as an emergent. But I have never seen this genus
in the wild so I don't know much about how they really occur.
That magazine, Nature Malaysiana, has some great habitat photos of _Nepenthes_
showing them climbing trees. I gather much of the true climbing occurs when
the plant has switched to upper-growth mode---then the tendrils really twine.
Since I rarely let my plants grow long enough to switch to that mode (space
constraints) I don't see this, and I end up with the impression that the
genus is just a scrambling plant and not a true vine. But in the wild, it
appears that they really do have prehensile tentacles.
In that issue of Nature Malaysiana is a great picture of _N.veitchii_
(I think it was that species) climbing a tree. It somehow wraps its leaves
around the tree trunk and adheres to it that way. It reminds me of how
bears climb trees by wrapping their arms around the trunk. A great picture.
>>I admit that at work I do not have my references near, so I don't know
>>the meaning of "pleiochasial".
>A pleiochasium is an inflorescence commonly found in _Utricularia_
>sect.Pleiochasia, where at the nodes of a "raceme" several (not just one
>flower) flowers are formed (you can look this up in the chapter "cymose
>inflorescences").
I'll look this up, because I am curious how this differs from a terminal
whorl of flowers, or an umbel for that matter.
>This is an interesting idea... With _Pinguicula_, the absence of visible
>bracts indicates the peduncle is actually a pedicel. Meanwhile, in something
Is this a Jan Schlauer rumination, or accepted botanical dogma?
Bazza