31. Nepenthes Northiana HOOK. F., Gard. Chron., 1881, 2, p. 717, ic. 144 & tab. inter p. 724 & 725 (1881), REG., Gartenfl., 1884, p. 52, ic. p. 51 (1884) ; BECC., Mal., III, p. 1, 2, 4, 8 (1886) ; NORTH, Recoll., I, p. 251 (1892) ; BECK, Wien. Ill. Gartenz., 1895, p. 142. ic. 2 (1895) ; MOTT., Dict. III, p. 449, ic. 618 (1896) ; VEITCH, Journ. Roy. Hort. Soc., XXI, p. 236 seq. (1897) ; HEMSL., Gard. Chron., 1905, 1, p. 260 (1905) ; MACF., in ENGL., Pflanzenr., IV, 111, p. 44 (1908) ; in BAIL., Cycl., IV, p. 2126 (1919) ; MERR., Bibl. Enum. Born., p. 284 (1921) ; MACF., Kew Bull., 1925, p. 36 (1925) ; N. spuria BECK, Wien. Ill. Gartenz., 1895, p. 187 (1895) ; ? N. Nordtiana BOERL., Handl., III, 1, p. 54 (1900).
Icones: Gard. Chron., 1881, 2, p. 717 et inter p. 724 & 725 (1881) ; Gartenfl., 1884, p. 51 (1884) ; Wien. Ill. Gartenz., 1895, p. 143, ic. 2 (1895) ; MOTT., Dict., III, p. 450 (1896) ; Journ. Roy. Hort. Soc., XXI, p. 230 (1897).
Folia mediocria sessilia, lamina elliptica v. obovata, nervis longitudinalibus utrinque 4, basi lata semiamplexicauli in alas 2 decurrente ; ascidia rosularum ignota ; ascidia inferiora subovata, alis 2 fimbriatis ; peristomio applanato v. expanso, 10-50 mm lato, costis crebris, dentibus brevibus ; operculo ovato-oblongo, facie inferiore non appendiculato ; ascidia superiora infundibuliformia, alis 2 angustis fimbriatis, peristomio angustiore quam in ascidiis inferioribus, costis crebris, operculo angustiore quam in ascidiis inferioribus, facie inferiore inappendiculata ; inflorescentia racemus longus pedicellis 2-4 mm longis 2- v. 1-floris ; indumentum parcum (v. 0 ?).
Stems climbing, the part with adult leaves cylindrical, 6 to 8 mm thick, the lower internodes short, the upper ones long. Rosettes unknown. Leaves of the climbing stems chartaceous to thin-coriaceous, sessile or very shortly petioled, elliptic, oblong or obovate, 15 to 35 cm long, 3 to 10 cm broad, with 30 to 60 honeyglands on the lower surface, rounded at the acute apex, or obtuse or somewhat peltate (?), gradually attenuate towards the base, almost short-petioled, dilated at the stem, semiamplexicaul, decurrent in 2 wings along 2 internodes, pennate nerves indistinct, obliquely ascending, parallel, longitudinal nerves 4 on each side, originating from the basal part of the midrib ; tendrils 10 to 60 cm long, gradually thickened towards the pitcher. Pitchers of the lower leaves small or medium-sized, wholly ovate, or ovate in the lower part and cylindrical towards the mouth, with 2 fringed wings over the whole length ; mouth ovate, oblique ; peristome flattened-cylindrical to expanded, 10 to 50 mm broad, narrow in front and near the lid, broader on the side, finely ribbed, the interior margin toothed ; lid 3 to 14 cm long, 2 to 10 cm broad, ovate-oblong, acute. Upper pitchers large, gradually or abruptly originating from the hanging end of the tendril, incurved with a more or less wide curve, tubulose to infundibulate, up to 40 cm high, up to 12 cm wide, with 2 fringed wings over the whole length ; peristome and lid like those of the lower pitchers, but narrower ; inner surface of the pitcher shining and glandular for 2/3 or up to the front side of the peristome, glandless and pruinose in the upper part. Inflorescence a triangular raceme, 25 to 35 cm long, sparsely flowered ; pedicels 2 to 3 mm long, slender, partly 1-flowered, partly 2-flowered. Flowers 6 to 7 mm diam. Male and female organs unknown. Indumentum sparse, the stems and the pitchers glabrous. Colour in the living state shining-green, the pitchers pale green with purple spots, the peristome yellowish green with purple stripes. (Description after MACFARLANE.)
BORNEO. Sarawak: near Jambusan, 1876 (NORTH, Recoll., I, p. 251 ; Journ. Roy. Hort. Soc., XXI, p. 236 & 237).
This species has been found only on one spot near Kutching and is very imperfectly known. Most closely related is certainly N. decurrens ; see this species.
BURBIDGE (Gard. Chron., 1882, 1, p. 56) "firmly believes" that N. Northiana is a hybrid between N. Veitchii and N. sanguinea ; this is, however, impossible, as N. sanguinea certainly does not occur in Borneo ; for the rest it is not clear which species BURBIDGE means with his N. sanguinea and there is no reason for the supposition that N. Northiana is a hybrid.