Re: N. curtisii

From: Richard Brown (esoft@ix.netcom.com)
Date: Tue Mar 16 1999 - 13:21:53 PST


Date: Tue, 16 Mar 1999 16:21:53 -0500
From: "Richard Brown" <esoft@ix.netcom.com>
To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com
Message-Id: <aabcdefg825$foo@default>
Subject: Re: N. curtisii


----------

> I was recently given a cutting of "Nepenthes curtisii" from
> Atlanta Botanic Garden. Am I correct in thinking N. curtisii a synonym
> of N. maxima? Is there any reason why A.B.G. might have retained the
> "N. curtisii" label?
Nick,

N. curtisii is probably a maxima, but no one knows for sure. There is some
conjecture that it is a natural hybrid between N. albomarginata and N.
maxima

N. curtisii is one of those old Victorian plants, given its name by the
nursery offering it for sale. For the longest time, it was supposedly from
Borneo, but careful examination of the literature reveals an equally likely
point of origin being Sulawesi. If it came from Sulawesi, then it is
probably a variety of N. maxima I don't think N. albomarginata grows there.

A. B. G. has retained the N. curtisii label because it is probably the name
of the plant as they received it. I don't know if N. "curtisii" is a valid
cultivar name, but if someone tells me they have a plant of N. curtisii, I
know exactly what they are talking about. If they were to call it a N.
maxima, that leads to the next question: Which N. maxima?

until later,
Trent Meeks
Pompano Beach, Fl



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