Nepenthes reinwardtiana (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Nepenthes reinwardtiana Miq.

Family: Nepenthaceae

Synonyms

Nepenthes reinwardtii Hook.f., N. reinwardtiana var. samarindaiensis J.H. Adam & Wilcock.

Vernacular names

• Indonesia: gendi kere (Lingga), ketakong kijang (Bangka).

Distribution

Sumatra and Borneo.

Uses

The stems have been mentioned as being used for tying material in Indonesia, but this has been questioned. On Bangka the leaves are applied against skin problems. Root decoctions are said to be used as an astringent, but this is not certain.

Observations

A dioecious, terrestrial or epiphytic shrub or climber, 2-8(-20) m tall. Stem triangular, 3-7.5 mm in diameter, the corners rounded or 2 with wings up to 3 mm broad. Leaves leathery, sessile; basal rosette leaves not known; blade of climbing leaves narrowly elliptical to rectangular, 8-28 cm × 1-4.5 cm, base often decurrent as wings; lower pitchers ellipsoid in the basal half, slightly constricted towards the subcylindrical upper half, up to 11 cm × 4 cm, with 2 fringed wings, mouth ovate, peristome 0.5-1.3 mm wide, without ribs; lid ovate to elliptical, up to 3.9 cm × 3.7 cm, lower surface without appendages; spur simple, up to 3 mm long; upper pitchers slightly ventricose, 9-31 cm × 3-7 cm, light green, with 2 ridges up to 1 mm broad lacking fringing elements, inner pitcher surface glaucous with 2 conspicuous darker eye-like dots; lid 2-8 cm × 2-6.5 cm. Male inflorescence 20-38 cm long; partial peduncles 2-flowered; pedicel 1-1.5 cm long; tepals 4, elliptical, 3.5-4 mm × 2.5 mm, reddish-black; androphore 0.3 mm long. Female inflorescence similar to male one but on average shorter; tepals lanceolate, acute; ovary superior, 4locular with numerous ovules, stigmas 4, sessile. Fruit with valves 3-4 cm long. Seed fusiform, 18-20 mm. N. reinwardtiana is found in lowland peat-swamp forest, high altitude sandstone or limestone ridges, or, more rarely, moss forest, sometimes on ultrabasic soils, at altitudes up to 1450(-2100) m. It often grows as an epiphyte. N. reinwardtiana is currently not considered a threatened species, but it is listed in CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) Appendix II, which means that international trade in wild and artificially propagated material is permitted subject to licence.

Selected sources

1, 38, 47, 70, 71, 88, 146, 157, 184.

Authors

M. Brink, P.C.M. Jansen & C.H. Bosch