Fig. 13. Nepenthes leptochila (AMDJAH 730) ; a. lower portion of a stem
; b. upper pitcher ; c. rosette pitcher ; all of them 1/2 x.22. Nepenthes leptochila DANS., spec. nova.
Icon ; nostra 13.
Folia mediocria sessilia, lamina obovato-lanceolata, nervis longitudinalibus utrinque c. 5, basi attenuata caulis 1/2 partem amplectente non v. vix decurrente, vagina 0 ; ascidia rosularum parva, parte inferiore subglobosa, os versus cylindrica v. paulum angustata, alis 2 fimbriatis ; peristomio operculum versus acuminato, cylindrico v. vix applanato, ad 1 1/2 mm lato, costis non semper distinctis 1/4-1/6 mm distantibus, dentibus vix longioribus quam latis ; operculo suborbiculari, facie inferiore plana ; ascidia inferiora ut rosularum, sed maiora et magis oblonga, peristomio in collum breve elongato, operculo elliptico v. ovato ; ascidia superiora parva, e parte inferiore infundibuliformi tubulosa, costis 2 prominentibus ; peristomio in collum breve elevato, cylindrico v. paulum applanato, 1-1 1/2 mm lato, costis non semper distinctis c. 1/4-1/6 mm distantibus, dentibus vix longioribus quam latis ; operculo elliptico v. subovato, facie inferiore plano ; inflorescentia ignota ; indumentum parcum, caules passim pilis brevibus hirsuti v. cum foliorum pagina inferiore fusco punctati, foliorum margines ciliati.
Stems climbing, the part with adult leaves cylindrical, 2 1/2 to 4 1/2
mm thick, the internodes 2 to 6 cm long ; at the base of older plants short
shoots and lateral rosettes. Leaves of the rosettes sometimes very
small, mostly up to 6 cm long, obovate-lanceolate, obtuse or rounded at the
apex, gradually attenuate and dilated again to a wholly amplexicaul base ;
pennate nerves irregularly reticulate, longitudinal ones 1 to 3 on each side,
originating from the basal part of the midrib, running parallel in the outer
half of the lamina ; tendril 2 1/2 to 5 cm long, hanging. Leaves of
shorter and climbing stems scattered, chartaceous,
obovate-lanceolate, about 15 to 25 cm long, 2 1/2 to 5 1/2 cm broad, acute,
.
Fig. 13. Nepenthes leptochila (AMDJAH 730) ; a. lower portion of a stem
; b. upper pitcher ; c. rosette pitcher ; all of them 1/2 x.
obtuse or rounded at the apex, gradually attenuate towards the very narrow base, sometimes almost shortly petiolate, dilated into a semiamplexicaul sheath, not or hardly decurrent ; pennate nerves delicate but distinct, running almost straight to the margin, reticulately connected ; longitudinal nerves mostly 5 on each side, originating from the basal part of the midrib, running parallel in the outer 2/3 part of the lamina ; tendrils of the lower leaves hanging, without curl, those of the upper leaves about as long as the leaf, most of them without, some of them with curl and pitcher. Pitchers of rosettes small, up to 7 cm high, from the rounded base globose or ovate in the lower part, up to 3 cm wide, gradually merging into the upper more or less cylindrical part, with 2 fringed wings over the whole length, the wings up to 2 1/2 mm broad, the fringe segments up to 2 1/2 mm long, 1 to 2 mm apart ; mouth oblique, acuminate towards the lid, not elongated into a neck ; peristome cylindrical, up to 1 mm broad on all sides, sometimes slightly flattened and up to 1 1/2 mm broad, not always distinctly ribbed, the ribs about 1/4 to 1/6 mm apart ; inner surface of the pitcher glandular in the lower 2/3 part with overarched glands, about 2000 to 2500 glands on 1 cm2 ; lid suborbicular, up to 1 cm long, flat and with small round rimmed glands on the lower surface, more densely glandular towards the midrib than towards the margin ; spur unknown. Pitchers of the lower leaves and of the short shoots like those of the rosettes, but larger and more elongated, up to 8 cm high, up to 3 cm wide, the wings up to 4 mm broad, the fringe up to 5 mm long ; mouth more acuminate, almost elongated into a short neck ; lid more long than broad, broadly elliptical, somewhat ovate, about 1 1/2 x as long as broad. Pitchers of the upper leaves abruptly originating from the hanging tendril, with a basal curve about 10 mm wide, infundibuliform in the lower part, cylindrical in the upper part, about 9 cm high, 2 1/2 cm wide, with 2 prominent ribs, without or almost without fringe ; peristome cylindrical up to 1 mm broad or slightly flattened, up to 1 1/2 mm broad, often indistinctly ribbed, the ribs about 1/4 to 1/6 mm apart, the teeth of the interior margin not so long as broad ; inner surface glandular in the lower 2/3 part, with overarched glands ; lid orbicular-ovate, about l 1/2 x as long as broad, the lower surface flat, with small rimmed glands, more densely glandular near the midrib than near the margin ; spur not known. Inflorescences &c. unknown. Indumentum sparse, on the stems in the lower part, on the midribs beneath and on the leaves not yet unfold outside more or less hirsute by spreading hairs, the longest hairs about 3/4 mm long, most of them shorter, deciduous and leaving brown points ; leaves always glabrous above, with cilia up to 2 mm long on the margin. Colour in herbarium specimens: the leaves above fallow-dun, the leaves beneath and the stems reddish, the hairs red-brown. (Description after the specimen mentioned.)
BORNEO. Res. Southern & Eastern Division: G. Djempanga, IX 1912, AMDJAH 730, H. B. (0).
This imperfectly known species reminds N. gymnamphora in many respects, but seems to be allied to N. hirsuta too. Most closely related is undoubtedly N. neglecta but the differences, as given in the original description, are too large to admit an identification of the two.