Fig. 15. Nepenthes paniculata (LAM 1569), 1/2 x.33. Nepenthes paniculata DANS., spec. nova.
Icon: nostra 15.
Folia mediocria petiolata, lamina lanceolata, nervis longitudinalibus utrinque 3, vagina caulis partem 1/2 amplectente ; ascidia rosularum et inferiora ignota ; ascidia superiora magnitudine mediocria, infundibuliformia, costis 2 prominentibus v. alis 2 angustis fimbriatis ; peristomio operculum versus acuto, applanato, 4-10 mm lato, costis c. 1/2-1 mm distantibus, dentibus vix longioribus quam latis ; operculo orbiculari subcordato, facie inferiore plano ; inflorescentia panicula ramis inferioribus c. 3 cm longis, 4-5-floris, superioribus brevioribus ad 2-floris ; indumentum in ascidiis iuvenitibus et in pedicellis perigoniisque tenue tomentosum, ceterum 0.
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Fig. 15. Nepenthes paniculata (LAM 1569), 1/2 x.
Stems climbing about 7 m high, the part with adult leaves 5 to 10 mm thick, the internodes 3 to 10 cm long. Short shoots and rosettes unknown. Leaves of the climbing stems scattered, coriaceous, petiolate; lamina lanceolate, about 20 to 30 cm long, 4 1/2 to 7 cm broad, acuminate, gradually attenuate into the petiole, 3 to 9 cm long, narrowly but distinctly winged, forming a laterally flattened, semiamplexicaul sheath ; pennate nerves obliquely originating from the midrib, forming an irregular network of veins towards the margin, the longitudinal nerves about 4 on each side, originating from the basal part of the midrib, running parallel in the outer 2/5 part of the lamina, tendrils about as long as the leaves, the pitcher-bearing with curl. Pitchers of the climbing stems gradually or abruptly originating from the hanging end of the tendril, incurved with a curve 10 to 20 mm wide, infundibuliform, 8 to 11 cm high, 3 to 5 cm wide, with 2 prominent ribs or 2 very narrow wings over the whole length, the wings not fringed or only so in the upper half ; mouth nearly round, oblique ; peristome flattened, 4 to 10 mm broad, the ribs about 1/2 to 1 mm apart, the teeth of the interior margin about twice as long as broad ; inner surface of the pitcher wholly glandular, the glands slightly or not overarched, about 500 on 1 cm2 ; lid suborbicular, subcordate, about 4 to 4 1/2 cm long, 4 1/2 to 5 cm broad, the lower surface almost flat, very slightly keeled on the midrib, with small, round, rimmed glands over the whole surface with exception of the marginal part ; spur about 3 mm long, not branched, acute, inserted close to the lid. Male inflorescence a panicle, the peduncle about 10 cm, the axis about 20 cm long, about 3 mm thick in the basal part, attenuate, angular, the lower branches about 3 cm long, up to 5-flowered, the upper ones gradually shorter and less-flowered, the uppermost ones 2-flowered. Tepals orbicular-elliptical about 2 1/2 to 3 l/2 mm long. Staminal column about 2 mm long, the anthers included. Female inflorescence &c. not known. Indumentum scarce, the stems, leaves, tendrils and peduncles glabrous, the young pitchers with a thin brown tomentum, glabrous when adult, the inflorescences thin-tomentose when young, the indumentum persistent only in the upper part of the axis, the pedicels and the tepals outside. Colour in the living state: the stems and the leaves light-green, the latter paler below than above, tendril and pitcher yellow-green, peristome dark-green, the interior surface of the pitcher with some violet spots, the lid yellow-green, reddish above, with violet spots below ; peduncle green with a red hue ; tepals light-green at first, dark-red later on, staminal column light-green, anthers light-yellow. Colour of herbarium specimens yellow-brownish. (Description after the under mentioned plant).
NEW GUINEA. Northwestern part: Ridge to the Doorman-top 1460 m, 9 X 1920, LAM 1569, H. B. (m).
This new species is remarkable by its petiolate leaves, infundibuliform upper pitchers and paniculate inflorescences. This combination of characters also occurs in N. madagascariensis, but as far as it is obvious from the descriptions, there are several differences. Yet the relation with this Madagascar plant is peculiar, as another New Guinea species, N. neoguineensis, has its nearest relations in Ceylon.
LAM found his plant on a mountain ridge, covered with mossy forest, at 1460 m above sea level ; I therefore do not expect a wide distribution.