Fig. 2. Nepenthes clipeata (HALLIER B 2344), 1/2 x.
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Fig. 2. Nepenthes clipeata (HALLIER B 2344), 1/2 x.
9. Nepenthes clipeata DANS., spec. nova.
Icones: Trop. Nat., XVI, p. 205 (1927) fol. & asc. 1 ; nostra 2.
Folia mediocria petiolata, lamina suborbiculari apice valde peltata, nervis longitudinalibus utrinque 5-6, vagina caulis c. 4/5 amplectente ; ascidia rosularum ignota ; ascidia inferiora et superiora magna, 2/5 inferiore obovata v. subglobosa, abrupte in partem superiorem anguste infundibuliformum transiente, costis 2 paulum prominentibus raro anguste alatis ; peristomio operculum versus acuminato, applanato, 2-12 mm lato, costis c. 2/3-1/3 mm distantibus, dentibus c. 1-2 x longioribus quam latis ; operculo late ovato, leviter cordato, facie inferiore prope basin appendice lateraliter applanata ; inflorescentia racemus pedicellis inferioribus c. 15 mm longis, fere omnibus 2-floris ; indumentum iuventute densissimum villosum badium, statu adulto densum v. parcius.
Stem several dm long, robust, ascending (not climbing), cylindrical or slightly flattened, 6 to 12 mm thick, the internodes very short or up to 5 cm long. Rosettes unknown. Leaves alternate, thick-coriaceous, orbicular-ovate or almost orbicular, usually 7 to 20 cm long, 6 to 16 cm broad, rounded at the apex, strongly peltate, the tendril inserted at most on 2/3, mostly little above the middle of the lamina, the leaf base rounded or slightly cordate, the petiole robust, about 1/3 to 1/2 as long as the lamina, 4 to 10 mm thick, more or less triangular, deeply canaliculate, slightly dilated at the base and forming a laterally flattened sheath, clasping the stem for more than 4/5 part, not decurrent, the midrib thick and very prominent beneath, gradually attenuate towards the tendril ; pennate nerves numerous, distinct, originating from the midrib on regular distances, spreading, more reticulate and less distinct towards the margin, the longitudinal nerves 5 or 6 on each side, originating from the midrib near the base, running parallel in the outer 2/5 part of the lamina, the inner pairs meeting in the apical part of the leaf, the outer ones ending sooner ; tendril robust, curved downwards, distinctly shorter than the lamina, 5 to 12 cm long, 2 to 5 mm thick, never curled. Pitchers 10 to 30 cm high, gradually originating from the tendril, shortly incurved, abruptly widened, shortly obovate or almost globose in the lower 2/5 part, 3 1/2 to 10 cm wide, above this part abruptly narrowed to 2/5 of its width, above the contraction slightly infundibulate, the width of the mouth about 3/4 part of that of the lower portion ; prominent ribs developed only in the upper part, only in the smallest lower pitchers narrowly winged and at most with a rudiment of a fringe ; mouth nearly round, little oblique in front, acute and elevated towards the lid ; peristome flattened, 1 to 5 mm broad on the wing side, 2 to 12 mm broad towards the lid, the ribs 1/3 to 2/3 mm apart, the outer margin involute, the teeth of the inner margin once to twice as long as broad ; inner surface of the pitcher with minute, densely placed, overarched glands almost to the constriction, about 800-1200 glands on 1 cm2 ; lid broadly ovate-cordate, usually 3 to 7 cm long, rounded at the apex, broadly and deeply cordate, vaulted with the strongest vaulting near the base, with many scattered round glands on the under surface, with a laterally flattened ear-shaped or claw-shaped appendage on the basal part of the midrib ; spur inserted about 2 to 5 mm from the lid, short, thick and without branches. Male inflorescence unknown. Female inflorescence a raceme interrupted in the lower part, dense in the upper part, the peduncle 20 to 23 cm long, 4 to 5 mm thick at the base, 2 1/2 to 4 mm thick at the top, the axis 10 to 16 cm long, the pedicels, almost all of them 2-flowered, furcate near the base, the lower ones about 15 mm long. Tepals oval-oblong, about 5 mm long. Fruit &c. unknown. Indumentum of the stems, petioles, midribs and tendrils very dense when young, less dense when adult, composed of spreading, coarse hairs up to 1 mm long ; pitchers very densely velvety when young, later less densely hairy with short frizzled hairs ; inflorescence densely and shortly hairy, more densely and shortly towards the perigone, the ovary with very dense, but longer hairs. Colour in herbarium specimens: the upper side of the leaves yellowish brown rarely reddish, the underside red-brown to dark-red, the pitchers yellowish- or reddish-brown, pruinose and with dark spots inside towards the mouth ; indumentum red-brown or red on all parts.
BORNEO. Res. Western Division: G. Kelam, 30 I-13 II 1894 HALLIER B 2344, H. B. (f).
N. clipeata is one of the most aberrant and striking species of its genus. Especially the almost orbicular leaves, the thick, short, never curved tendrils, which are inserted far from the apex, the peculiar-shaped pitcher without wings and the strongly vaulted lid are very remarkable. A leaf form as aberrant as this, only occurs in the Philippine species N. truncata. It is not known, in what manner N. clipeata grows. The following seems probable to me. The plant does not climb. The short and robust stems, petioles and tendrils prove, that the mentioned specimens are found in an open place. I can not imagine, in what manner the pitchers have been placed when the leaves were spread horizontally. Therefore I suggest, that the plant has grown against the perpendicular wall of the G. Kelam, and that the leaves stood vertically, the pitchers behind it. It is, however, improbable, that N. clipeata can grow only against perpendicular walls, but it is not clear, what may be the manner of growing in other habitats.
The following words of HALLIER (Dutch ; N. T. N. I., LIV, p. 436-437, German: Naturwiss. Wochenschr.., XI, p. 110) probably have reference to N. clipeata.
"Nachdem nochmals ein steiler Abhang mit Gleichenia-Gestrüpp erstiegen ist, steht man plötzlich unter der hohen, den Berg rings umgürtenden Felswand. Eine Schichtung des vom Wasser glattgewaschenen und durch tiefe Wasserrinnen zefalteten Gesteins lässt sich nicht erkennen, und es scheint fast, als wenn der ganze Berg aus einem einzigen, ungeheuren Felsblock bestände. An dieser Wand befindet sich die steil aufgerichtete. 46 m hohe Rottanleiter, nur unten, in der Mitte und oben:-Erdreich befestigt und im übrigen dem nackten Gestein frei aufliegend............
Etwas oberhalb der Mitte der Leiter befindet sich unter denselben eine dünne Humusschicht von geringem Umfang, die jedoch hinreicht, um auf ihr stehen und sich eine kleine Ruhepause gönnen zu können. Sowohl hier, wie am Kopf der Leiter fand ich eine Nepenthes mit ungewöhnlich grossen Kannen. In ihrem unteren Theil sind die letzteren krugartig erweitert und dadurch in den Stand gesetzt, einerseits eine grosse Menge Wasser aufnehmen zu können, andererseits den hinengefallenen Insecten die Flucht durch den verhältnissmässig engen Hais zu erschweren. Da diese eigenthümliche Pflanze nur an Stellen vorkommt, die vorher nur ein einziger Europäer betreten hat, so war sie zuvor wohl kaum schon bekannt."