24. Nepenthes Macfarlanei HEMSL., Proc. Linn. Soc., 1905, p. 12 (1905) (non vidi) ; Gard. Chron., 1905, 1, p. 241 (1905) ; in HOOK. F., Ic. pl., t. 2814 & 2815 (1906) ; MACF., in ENGL., Pflanzenr., IV, 111, p. 77 (1908) ; RIDL., Journ. Fed. Mal. St. Mus., IV, p. 59 (1909) ; MACF., Journ. As. Soc. Beng., LXXV, p. 284 (1914) ; in BAIL., Cycl., IV, p. 2129 (1919) ; RIDL., Fl., III, p. 24 (1924).
Icones: HOOK. F., Ic. pl., t. 2814 & 2815 (1906), optimae ; RIDL., Fl., III, p. 23 (1924), optima.
Folia mediocria sessilia, lamina oblonga v. lanceolata v. paulum spathulata, nervis longitudinalibus utrinque 2-5, basi subcordata semiamplexicauli, vagina 0 ; ascidia rosularum, ignota ; ascidia inferiora magna, e parte inferiore infundibuliformi cylindrica v. paulum ventricosa, alis 2 fimbriatis ; peristomio operculum versus acuminato in collum breve elongato, applanato, ad 8 mm lato, costis 3/4-1 mm distantibus, dentibus 3-6 x longioribus quam latis ; operculo suborbiculari subcordato facie inferiore setis numerosis longioribus v. brevioribus ; ascidia superiora magnitudine mediocria, infundibuliformia, costis 2 elevatis ; peristomio operculum versus acuminato in collum breve elevato, 2-10 mm lato, costis 1/3-I mm distantibus, dentibus c. tam longis quam latis ; operculo suborbiculari subcordato, facie inferiore setis numerosis longioribus v. brevioribus ; inflorescentia racemus longus pedicellis inferioribus 10-22 mm longis, fere omnibus 2-floris ; indumentum in partibus vegetativis iuventute densum adpressum v. patens, denique subnullum, in inflorescentiis densum adpressum permanens.
Stems climbing, 2 to 3 m long, the part with adult leaves cylindrical or obtusely angular, 4 to 7 mm thick, the internodes 1 to 6 cm long ; rosettes and short shoots unknown. Leaves of the climbing stems sessile, scattered, thin-coriaceous, very differently shaped, oblong to lanceolate or more of less spathulate, 5 to 18 cm long, 2 to 5 1/2 cm broad, acute to rounded, attenuate towards the apex or not, the base rounded or slightly cordate, semiamplexicaul ; pennate nerves indistinct, irregularly reticulate, the longitudinal ones distinct, 3 to 5 on each side, originating from the leaf base, running parallel in the outer 2/5 of the lamina or approaching the margin in broad leaves ; tendrils 2 to 4 times as long as the leaf, without curl in the lower leaves, with curl in the upper ones. Pitchers of the rosettes unknown. Pitchers of the lower leaves shortly incurved from the hanging tendril, the curve about 10 mm wide, infundibuliform in the lower part, often slightly ventricose in the middle, cylindrical in the upper part, up to 20 cm high, widest at about 1/3 of the height, with 2 fringed wings over the whole length or with the exception of the inferior part, the fringe segments 1 to 3 mm apart ; mouth horizontal in front, incurved and elongated into a short neck towards the lid ; peristome flattened, up to 8 mm broad, the ribs 3/4 to 1 mm apart, the teeth of the inner margin 3 to 6 times as long as broad ; inner surface of the pitcher glandular in the lower half, the glands overarched and making the outer surface minutely bullate, about 160 on 1 cm2 ; lid suborbicular, slightly cordate, the lower surface without appendage, with numerous rather large deepened and rimmed glands and very differently long and thick bristles ; spur insufficiently known. Pitchers of the upper leaves mostly abruptly originating from the hanging tendril, incurved with a curve 10 to 30 mm wide, infundibuliform, somewhat contracted under the mouth, 11 to 17 cm high, 4 to 6 cm wide, with 2 prominent ribs over the most horizontal in front, elevated towards the whole length, mouth almost horizontal in front, elevated towards the lid and elongated into a short neck ; peristome flattened, 2 to 10 mm broad, the ribs 1/3 to 1 mm apart, the teeth of the interior margin about as long as broad ; inner surface of the pitcher almost wholly shining and glandular, with overarched glands, about 200 to 250 on 1 cm2 ; only a narrow part under the peristome glandless ; lid orbicular, 3 1/2 to 5 cm long and broad, the lower surface without appendage, with many rather large round deepened and rimmed glands and with many differently long and thick spreading bristles ; spur flattened, branched or not, inserted close to the lid, 2 to 5 mm long. Male inflorescence a raceme, the peduncle 2 to 4 mm thick at the top, often thicker at the base, 8 to 16 cm long, the axis 9 to 25 cm long, attenuate, angular ; lower pedicels 10 to 22 mm long, the upper ones little shorter, almost all of them with a filiform bract, 2-flowered. Tepals elliptical to oblong, 3 to 5 mm long. Staminal column, the anthers included, 3 to 6 mm long, the anthers in one whorl with an apical group or not. Female inflorescence in the main like the male one, axis shorter on the average. Tepals oblong. Ovary short-peduncled. Indumentum very short and dense on young parts, usually deciduous, rarely persistent on the tendrils and below the mouth, denser and longer on the inflorescences, short and tomentose on the tepals outside, on the margin and inside at the base ; staminal column shortly hairy only at the base ; ovary very densely hairy. Colour of the pitchers white with red spots ; herbarium specimens wholly fallow-dun or more reddish, rarely blackish, the inner surface of the pitchers pruinose in the glandless part. (Description after all the plants seen by the author.)
MALAY PENINSULA. Perak: G. Boobo, summit, 1500-1590 m, Ill 188?, KING'S coll. 7395, H. B. (0), H. S. (m).; Pahang: Rhododendron Hill, Cameron's Highlands, 1530 m, 20 XI 1925, HENDERSON 17878, H.B., (0) ; G. Tahan, VII 1911, RIDLEY, H. S. (0) ; Selangor: Semangko Pass, 1365 m, 20 II 1904, BURN-MURDOCH, H. S. (0) ; 1200 m, idem, H. S. (m) ; Ulu Semangko, summit, 1904, RIDLEY, H. S. (f).
This species, so striking in its typical forms, is not sharply limited against the related species N. gracillima and N. sanguinea, which have nearly the same distribution. See under N. gracillima x Macfarlanei and N. Macfarlanei x sanguinea and the general chapters. The elevation on which N. Macfarlanei has been found varies, as far as data are extant, between 1200 and 1600 m above sea level (HOOKER F. in Icones Pl. gives: up to 2000 m).
? Nepenthes Macfarlanei x sanguinea.
MALAY PENINSULA. Kelantan: G. Sitong, 780 m, 6 III 1924, NUR 12221, H. S. (0) ; Pahang: G. Tahan, summit, VII 1911, RIDLEY, H. S. (0) ; VII 1911, RIDLEY 16096, H. S. (0) ; 1200-1800 m, 22 VI 1922, HANIFF & NUR 8306, H. S. (0) G. Berumbu, XI l908, H. S. (0) ; Selangor: G. Semangko, 1200 m, IV 1911, RIDLEY 15562, H. S. (m) ; Malacca: H.S. (0).
Under the above name I take together some plants which seem to be intermediates between N. Macfarlanei and N. sanguinea. They remember one of N. sanguinea by the dimensions and the colour of the pitchers, but they have the peculiar hairiness of the underside of the lid of N. Macfarlanei and a distinctly toothed inner margin at the peristome. Some of them have infundibuliform upper pitchers. Plants, differing from typical N. sanguinea only by a hairy lower surface of the lid, are placed by me under N. sanguinea, but all the above mentioned specimens show further differences. It seems possible, that they form a mixture of real and seeming intermediates or hybrids, but, with help of the material available, I think it impossible to make the distinction otherwise.