I am Joachim Nerz from Tuebingen. Together with Andreas Wistuba and Jan
Schlauer, we are discussing since quite a long time about the taxonomy
of Nepenthaceae. I have followed your discussion with Jan about
Nepenthaceae at e-mail. Please allow me some comments and questions to
your mails:
Cultivated species:
As I know, most of the described species have been recollected in the
recent years and a lot of them are still in cultivation. I hope, the
next years will offer us some more details about the evolution of
Nepenthaceae. I have promised to supply Alastair Culham with some
living material for his studies at the molecular level.
N. rhombicaulis has also been recollected from the type locality; if you
want, I can supply you with material (dried or living) for further
investigations. Photos from this species
in the field are also available. (Unfortunately in any case no flower)
Extremely rare or extinct species:
N. campanulata: I am quite sure, that this specie is extinct in the
meantime. Andreas Wistuba and I have visited the only known type
locality of it in 1992, where not a single plant was to find anymore.
Its habitat, Ilas Bungaan was a wet limestone-wall in between a chain of
mountains. Nearly all the mountains in this region have been burning in
the last years and all its vegetation was destroyed by fire, including
Ilas Bungaan (if you want, I can send you photos of the locality, it
looks horrible.) The inhabitants of this region still knew the huge
population of N. campanulata, but the mountaion-flora burnt down totally
in the end of 1991 or begin of 1992. We still have searched for other
localities, but at the few lacking intact mountains, it was not to find
anymore. I think, it has been one of the most curious species of
Nepenthaceae and until now, I still have no idea, where to find the next
relatives to it. I do not agree with Kurata, that it may be a relative
of N. inermis. Maybe you have an idea.
N. mapuluensis:
Maybe in the meantime extinct too. Ilas Mapulu, it^s type locality is
also destroyed. I have found a new population at another mountain, but
maybe it is destroyed in the meantime too.
N. clipeata:
Like N. mapuluensis, one of the most threatened Nepenthes-species at
moment; I visited the type-locality in 1986, where I still found a
healthy population. Last year I have seen photos where exactly this
location was burned down and the plants have been destroyed. Some 15
plants have still been found at another location at the same mountain.
N. neglecta:
I agree with Jan; his photos from Kew and the one from Anthea Phillips
show strong affinities to N. hirsuta.
Further taxonomical problems:
N. paniculata:
maybe further field-observations at Doormans top will bring more light
at this species. Unfortunately at the recent visit of Andreas Wistuba
et al. at the Southern slopes of this mountain, they could not find it
anymore; maybe it is growing just at a restricted area. It is difficult
for me, to imagine that one species is growing in such different
habitats like mossy forest (?) at 1460 m at Doormans top (N.
paniculata) and lowland forests or savannahs (N. neoguinensis). Also
e.g. the shape of pitchers underline my feelings (please compare the
original material of N. paniculata with the recollections of N.
neoguinensis which show another type of infundibuliform pitchers.
N. mollis:
Do you know, if the type-material is still existing somewhere?
N. junghuhnii:
I think, it is difficult, to say anything without further field
observations. My observations of e.g. N. singalana or N. carunculata
at several locations of W-Sumatra show, that they are quite variable
between several mountains and the dubious N. junghuhnii may fit with one
of such variations. Which collections of W-Sumatra, do you think belong
to N. junghuhnii?
N. bongso:
I have a bad feeling, to combine N. carunculata with N. bongso. You are
right, this two species are quite related, but they are distinct by some
constant features like the appendix of the lid from N. carunculata.
Further, there are still lacking some important informations, e.g.
about rosette-pitchers.
N. veitchii:
there realy exist at least two different forms with different morphology
and different ecology.
N. alata:
the Sumatran N. alata is quite different from the Philippine ones and
quite constant. Different species?
Sub-terranean storage organs:
I know about such organs e.g. in N. thorelli. But I have never heard
about such an organ in any known philippine specie. Do you know more
about it?
Last not least, I want to mention, that Andreas Wistuba and I are also
will soon have a paper in CPN with the description of 5 new taxa from
Sumatra (4 species and one variety). Our observations in the field and
the study of herbar-material at Leiden, Bogor etc. showed us, that the
characteristics of this material justify a description as new species.
I think, Andreas will send you the manuscript of it soon.
All the best
Joe N.
(Dept. of Genetics
University of Tbingen)
P.S.
I hope, this file is readable for you; I have wrote it last evening at
my home-computer in word5, so, maybe you will find some or a lot of
format failures at your screen :-}.