Danser's Monograph on Nepenthes: Nepenthes carunculata



8. Nepenthes carunculata DANS., spec. nova.

Icon: nostra 1.

Folia mediocria sessilia, lamina lanceolata-spathulato, nervis longitudinalibus utrinque 4-5, basi subcordata semiamplexicauli, vagina 0; ascidia rosularum et inferiora ignota ; ascidia superiora magnitudine mediocria, infundibuliformia, costis 2 prominentibus ; peristomio operculum versus acuminato, in collum breve elongato, applanato v. expanso antice 2-5 mm, operculum versus 4-17 mm lato, costis c. 1/2-2/3 mm distantibus, dentibus 1-3 x longioribus quam latis ; operculo ovato-cordato, facie inferiore prope apicem appendice irregulari v. 0, basim versus costa subcarinata ; inflorescentia racemus longus, pedicellis inferioribus 10-15 mm longis, fere omnibus 2-floris ;

. Fig. 1. Nepenthes carunculata: one lower pitcher and part of a climbing stem with 2 upper pitchers, 1/2 x (BÜNNEMEIJER 5747 bis).

indumentum in partibus vegetativis parcissimum villoso-tomentosum, in inflorescentiis stellatum adpressum.

Stems climbing, the part with adult leaves 4 to 10 mm thick, cylindrical or irregularly and obtusely triangular, the internodes 4 to 18 cm long. Rosettes and short shoots unknown. Leaves of the climbing stems scattered, thin-coriaceous, sessile, lanceolate-spathulate, 8 to 23 cm long, 2 1/2 to 6 cm broad, rounded, obtuse, acute or acuminate, cuneate or attenuate towards the rounded or subcordate semi-amplexicaul base ; pennate nerves irregularly reticulate, running obliquely towards the margin, longitudinal ones 4 or 5 on each side, originating from the basal part of the midrib, running parallel in the outer l/3 to 2/3 part of the leaf blade ; tendril 1 to 3 times as long as the leaf, always with curl. Pitchers of the rosettes and those of the lower part of the stem unknown. Upper pitchers rather abruptly originating from the hanging end of the tendril, the curve 20 to 40 mm wide on the inner side, the ascending part usually infundibuliform, 14 to 17 cm high, 3 1/2 to 6 cm wide above, slightly contracted at the mouth, with 2 prominent wings over the whole length ; rarely the pitcher infundibulate in the lower part, tubulose in the upper part, slightly ventricose in the middle ; mouth almost horizontal in front, strongly elevated towards the lid, acuminate and prolongated into a short neck ; peristome flattened or expanded, 2 to 5 mm broad on the wing side, 4 to 17 mm broad at some distance from the lid, the ribs 1/2 to 2/3 mm apart, the teeth of the interior margin 1 to 3 times as long as broad ; inner surface wholly or almost wholly glandular in the infundibuliform pitchers, in the lower half glandular in the tubulose pitchers, the glands minute and overarched, much smaller at the top than at the bottom, 1000-4000 on 1 cm2 ; lid ovate-cordate to orbicular-ovate, often with an irregular very differently large appendage near the apex, slightly keeled on the midrib towards the base, with rather large, round or oblong glands over the whole surface, but especially towards the apical part of the midrib ; spur not branched, flattened, inserted close to the lid, 4 to 8 mm long. Male inflorescence a raceme, the peduncle 5 to 12 cm long, 2 to 3 mm thick at the top, thicker at the base, the axis 16 to 20 cm long, angular and sulcate, the pedicels almost all of them 2-flowered, the lower ones 10 to 15 mm long, the upper ones little shorter. Tepals oblong, about 4 mm long. Staminal column about 4 mm long. Female inflorescence &c. unknown. Indumentum on the vegetative parts very sparse, here and there a nest of hirsute hairs, especially on the tendrils, the pitchers with a rather dense indumentum of stellate hairs when young, later sparsely hairy or glabrous, sometimes with a shortly and densely tomentose ribbon under the peristome ; inflorescences not densely, appressedly stellate-haired, the tepals shortly and densely tomentose only near the staminal column, sparingly hairy at the base, glabrous for the rest. Colour of the pitchers light-green with angular red and violet spots, peristome and lid green ; in herbarium specimens the leaves fallow-dun above, the leaves below and the pitchers yellowish- to reddish-brown, the inflorescences dark-brown. (Description after all the plants mentioned.)

SUMATRA. Res. Westcoast: G. Malintang, 1700 m, 1 VIII 1918, BÜNNEMEIJER 4230, H. B. (0) ; G. Sago, 2000 m, 26 VII 1918, BÜNNEMEIJER 4027, H. B. (0) ; Bt. Gombak, 2330 m, 16 XI 1918, BÜNNEMEIJER 5747 bis, H. B. (0), type ; G. Kerintji, 1800 m, 26 IV 1920, BÜNNEMEIJER 9696 H. B. (m).

This species is found on 4 mountains in central Sumatra, between 1700 and 2330 m above sea level, the habitat is the forest and the alpine scrub. The infundibuliform pitchers make it similar to N. Bongso, but the inflorescence is much more robust and make it similar to N. gymnamphora and related species. The appendage near the apex of the lid reminds of N. maxima, but all other parts show differences with this species.



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