30. Nepenthes neoguineensis MACF., Nova Guin., VIII, 1, p. 340, t. LXVII (1911) ; non RIDLEY, Transact. Linn. Soc., ser. 2, bot., IX, p. 139 (1916), quae N. papuana.
Icon: Nova Guinea, VIII, 1, p. LXVII (1911), optima.
Folia mediocria petiolata, lamina lanceolata, nervis longitudinalibus utrinque 3-4, vagina caulis 1/2 amplectente ; ascidia rosularum et inferiora ignota ; ascidia superiora mediocria, subcylindrica, sub medio et os versus paulum ampliata, alis 2 fimbriatis ; peristomio operculum versus acuminato, cylindrico v. applanato, 1-1 1/2 cm lato, costis 1/3-1/4 mm distantibus, dentibus fere 0 ; operculo suborbiculari, facie inferiore plano ; inflorescentia panicula v. racemus pedicellis inferioribus ad 35 mm longis 3-floris superioribus brevioribus, 2- v. 1-floris ; indumentum parcum villosum, in caulibus foliisque fere 0, in ascidiis iuventute densum, denique parcum, in inflorescentiis et floribus densum permanens.
Stems climbing, the part with adult leaves cylindrical to obtusely angular, especially in the top portion of the internodes, 3 to 4 (6) mm thick, the internodes 1 to 4 cm long: short stems and rosettes unknown. Leaves of the climbing stems scattered, chartaceous (to thin-coriaceous), petiolate ; lamina lanceolate, 15 to 25 cm long, 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 (4 1/2) cm broad, acute, gradually or rather abruptly attenuate into the petiole 2 to 5 cm long, the wings usually about 2 (at most 4) mm broad, somewhat dilated at the base, almost semi-amplexicaul, slightly decurrent, the stem wings mostly 1 to 2 (rarely up to 10) mm long ; pennate nerves ascending obliquely from the midrib, curving towards the margin, irregularly reticulate in the outer half of the lamina, the longitudinal ones not distinct, 3 or 4 on each side, originating from the network of lateral nerves in the lower part of the lamina running parallel in the outer 2/5 of the lamina ; tendrils 3/4 to 1 x as long as the leaf, about 3/4 mm thick near the lamina, up to 2 mm thick near the pitcher, the pitcher-bearing ones always with curl. Pitchers of the climbing stems gradually originating from the hanging end of the tendril, incurved with a curve 7 to 23 mm wide, infundibulate in the lower part, at 2/5 of its length somewhat ventricose, then slightly narrowed and widened again towards the mouth, curved over the greatest part of its length, with 2 fringed wings over the whole length, even in the basal curve, the wings about 5 to 8 mm broad, the fringe segments up to 3 mm long, 2 to 5 mm apart ; mouth oblique, acuminate towards the lid, not elongated into a neck ; peristome cylindrical or flattened, about 1 mm broad in front, up to 1 1/2 mm towards the lid, the ribs 1/3 to 1/4 mm apart, the interior margin almost entire ; inner surface of the pitcher glandular in the lower 1/3 part, with overarched glands, about 700 to 900 on 1 cm2 ; lid suborbicular, truncate or slightly emarginate, rounded or slightly cordate at the base, the lower surface without appendages, with rather numerous round, deepened and rimmed glands, which are larger and more densely set towards the middle ; spur 2 to 3 mm long, inserted close to the lid, flattened, not branched. (Male inflorescence a long-cylindrical panicle (rather a raceme of corymbs), the peduncle 4 to 12 cm long, 2 1/2 to 4 mm thick near the panicle, somewhat thicker at the base, the axis 36 to 44 cm long, irregularly angular and grooved, attenuate, the branches very remote, without bracts, the lower ones 40 to 55 mm long from the base to the flowers, 4-flowered, the upper ones only little shorter, mostly 3-flowered, the upper ones almost always 2-flowered, rarely 1-flowered. Tepals orbicular-elliptical, about 4 mm long. Staminal column about 4 mm long, the 2-seriate anthers included.) Female inflorescence a panicle-like raceme, the peduncle 12 to 15 cm long, flattened, about 2 mm broad at the top, about 2 1/2 mm at the base, the axis 18 to 20 cm long, attenuate, angular and slightly grooved, the branches very remote, most of them with a filiform bract, the lower ones 20 to 35 mm long from the axis to the flower, 2- or 3-flowered, the upper ones gradually shorter, the middle ones 2- or 1-flowered, the upper ones 1-flowered. Tepals oblong-lanceolate, about 4 mm long. Ovary sessile. Fruit and seeds not known. Indumentum very sparse, the stems glabrous or somewhat brown-tomentose near the axils, the leaves almost glabrous, ciliate at the margin when young or short-hairy on the midrib ; tendril densely hirsute when young, later only hairy near the pitcher or wholly glabrous, the pitchers densely stellate-hairy when young, later glabrous or with points, below the peristome with a narrow not prominent tomentose ribbon, the lid outside like the pitcher, inside sparingly stellate-hairy near the margin ; spur densely stellate-hairy, inflorescence with a very dense and short, white or brownish indumentum of stellate hairs, the axis in the lower part and the peduncle less densely hairy, the pedicels, the tepals outside and the ovary very densely stellate-tomentose. Colour of herbarium specimens fallow-dun. Description after the type specimens in H.B., the dimensions amplified after the description of MACFARLANE (between brackets) ; the male inflorescence after the doubtful plant under mentioned.)
NEW GUINEA. Northwestern part: Hollandia, 30 m, 10 V 1910 GJELLERUP 122, H. B. (m), also on alcohol ; Southwestern part: ? near the Tritonbaai, "ad parietines humid, in convallibus montium", 1828, ZIPPEL 177, H. L. B. (0) ; first Nepenthes-hill near Sabang, 19 VI 1907, 30 m, VERSTEEG 1268, H. B. (0) ; Nepenthes-hill, 25 IX 1907, VERSTEEG 1746, H. B. (f).
N. neoguineensis has been described by MACFARLANE after female plants ; it is not quite certain whether male plants of Hollandia belong to the same species. The male specimens, RIDLEY describes (1. c., p. 139), must belong to another species, as it is very probable, that the male inflorescence of N. neoguineensis will be more ramose than the female one, whereas the male inflorescence described by RIDLEY is less ramose and reminds that of N. papuana. The specimens collected by KLOSS and seen by me have no flowers ; they belong to N. papuana as far as can be judged from the leaves and the pitchers.
N. neoguineensis is most closely related to N. tomoriana from Selébès and N. destillatoria from Ceylon. From several other species with similar pitchers and leaves it can only be distinguished with certainty by the paniculate inflorescence. The plant of ZIPPEL is only a rosette with pitchers and belongs to this species as far as can be stated by the nervation of the leaves.
The elevation on which N. neoguineensis has been found is recorded twice at 30 m and in the other cases it is certainly not high ; probably this species principally occurs in the hilly regions of New Guinea, and in that case it may be more widely spread.