Nepenthes chaniana
Encyclopedia
Nepenthes chaniana is a highland pitcher plant
species belonging to the genus
Nepenthes
. It is characterised by a dense indumentum
of long, white hairs. Pitchers are cylindrical and mostly white to yellow in colouration.
Cultivated plants of this species were for a long time misidentified as N. pilosa
. While N. pilosa is endemic
to Kalimantan
, N. chaniana is native to Sabah
and Sarawak
(Bukit Batu Lawi
and other mountains). The pitchers of N. pilosa are rounder and broader in shape than those of N. chaniana.
The type specimen of N. chaniana was collected by Charles Clarke
on Mount Alab, the highest peak in Crocker Range National Park
.
Plants identified by Charles Clarke
as a hybrid between N. chaniana (known as N. pilosa
at the time) and N. lowii
are now thought to represent N. fusca
× N. lowii.
Pitcher plant
Pitcher plants are carnivorous plants whose prey-trapping mechanism features a deep cavity filled with liquid known as a pitfall trap. It has been widely assumed that the various sorts of pitfall trap evolved from rolled leaves, with selection pressure favouring more deeply cupped leaves over...
species belonging to the genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Nepenthes
Nepenthes
The Nepenthes , popularly known as tropical pitcher plants or monkey cups, are a genus of carnivorous plants in the monotypic family Nepenthaceae. The genus comprises roughly 130 species, numerous natural and many cultivated hybrids...
. It is characterised by a dense indumentum
Indumentum
The indumentum is a covering of fine hairs or bristles on a plant or insect.In plants, the indumentum types are:*pubescent*hirsute*pilose*villous*tomentose*stellate*scabrous*scurfy...
of long, white hairs. Pitchers are cylindrical and mostly white to yellow in colouration.
Cultivated plants of this species were for a long time misidentified as N. pilosa
Nepenthes pilosa
Nepenthes pilosa is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Borneo. It is characterised by a dense indumentum of long yellow-brown hairs. Pitchers have a distinctive hook-shaped appendage on the underside of the lid...
. While N. pilosa is endemic
Endemic (ecology)
Endemism is the ecological state of being unique to a defined geographic location, such as an island, nation or other defined zone, or habitat type; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere. For example, all species of lemur are endemic to the...
to Kalimantan
Kalimantan
In English, the term Kalimantan refers to the Indonesian portion of the island of Borneo, while in Indonesian, the term "Kalimantan" refers to the whole island of Borneo....
, N. chaniana is native to Sabah
Sabah
Sabah is one of 13 member states of Malaysia. It is located on the northern portion of the island of Borneo. It is the second largest state in the country after Sarawak, which it borders on its southwest. It also shares a border with the province of East Kalimantan of Indonesia in the south...
and Sarawak
Sarawak
Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang , Sarawak is situated on the north-west of the island. It is the largest state in Malaysia followed by Sabah, the second largest state located to the North- East.The administrative capital is Kuching, which...
(Bukit Batu Lawi
Bukit Batu Lawi
Bukit Batu Lawi is a mountain located in the Malaysian part of Borneo. At 2,046 m , it is one of the highest mountains in the state of Sarawak.- Further reading :* Lightner, Sam Jr. All Elevations Unknown...
and other mountains). The pitchers of N. pilosa are rounder and broader in shape than those of N. chaniana.
The type specimen of N. chaniana was collected by Charles Clarke
Charles Clarke (botanist)
Dr. Charles M. Clarke is a botanist and taxonomist specialising in the carnivorous plant genus Nepenthes. Clarke has an honours degree in Botany from Monash University in Melbourne, and a Ph.D. in Ecosystem Management at the University of New England, in Armidale, New South Wales.Clarke first...
on Mount Alab, the highest peak in Crocker Range National Park
Crocker Range National Park
Crocker Range National Park was established in 1984, although the area had previously been under protection as a forest reserve. It covers the north-south Crocker Range, of 1200-1800 meter mountains in Sabah, east Malaysia on the island of Borneo, which separate the western coastal plain with the...
.
Natural hybrids
- ? N. albomarginataNepenthes albomarginataNepenthes albomarginata , the White-Collared Pitcher-Plant, is a tropical pitcher plant native to Borneo, Peninsular Malaysia, and Sumatra...
× N. chaniana - N. chaniana × N. veitchiiNepenthes veitchiiNepenthes veitchii |James Veitch]], nurseryman of the Veitch Nurseries), or Veitch's Pitcher-Plant, is a Nepenthes species from the island of Borneo. The plant is widespread in north-western Borneo and can also be found in parts of Kalimantan. N...
Plants identified by Charles Clarke
Charles Clarke (botanist)
Dr. Charles M. Clarke is a botanist and taxonomist specialising in the carnivorous plant genus Nepenthes. Clarke has an honours degree in Botany from Monash University in Melbourne, and a Ph.D. in Ecosystem Management at the University of New England, in Armidale, New South Wales.Clarke first...
as a hybrid between N. chaniana (known as N. pilosa
Nepenthes pilosa
Nepenthes pilosa is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Borneo. It is characterised by a dense indumentum of long yellow-brown hairs. Pitchers have a distinctive hook-shaped appendage on the underside of the lid...
at the time) and N. lowii
Nepenthes lowii
Nepenthes lowii , or Low's Pitcher-Plant, is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Borneo. It is named after Hugh Low, who discovered it on Mount Kinabalu...
are now thought to represent N. fusca
Nepenthes fusca
Nepenthes fusca , or the Dusky Pitcher-Plant, is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Borneo. It is found throughout a wide altitudinal range and is almost always epiphytic in nature, primarily growing in mossy forest....
× N. lowii.
External links
- Photographs of N. chaniana at the Carnivorous Plant Photofinder