Nepenthes spathulata
Encyclopedia
Nepenthes spathulata is a tropical pitcher plant
native to Java
and Sumatra
, where it grows at elevations of between 1100 and 2900 m above sea level. The specific epithet spathulata is derived from the Latin
word spathulatus, meaning "spatula
shaped", and refers to the shape of the lamina.
, at an altitude of 2000 m.
Nepenthes spathulata was formally described
by B. H. Danser
later that same year, the first of two Nepenthes species described by the Dutch
botanist following the publication of his 1928 monograph, "The Nepenthaceae of the Netherlands Indies
".
The next major taxonomic treatment of N. spathulata came only in 1986, when Rusjdi Tamin and Mitsuru Hotta
treated the species in synonymy with N. singalana
. The authors also lumped four other species under N. singalana: N. carunculata, N. gymnamphora
, N. pectinata, and, by implication, N. densiflora
. Many authors now consider N. carunculata to be a heterotypic synonym of N. bongso
and N. pectinata is often equated with N. gymnamphora.
On Mount Dempo
, Mike Hopkins, Ricky Maulder and Bruce Salmon found what they believed to be a new species of Nepenthes. They published an account of their discovery in a 1990 issue of the Carnivorous Plant Newsletter
. It reads:
The name N. dempoensis is a nomen nudum
and the taxon
is now considered conspecific with N. spathulata.
In 1997, the genus Nepenthes was revised in its entirety by Matthew Jebb
and Martin Cheek
in "A skeletal revision of Nepenthes (Nepenthaceae)
". The authors kept N. spathulata as a valid species and designated Lieftinck 11 as its lectotype
.
In 2004, a Java
n taxon resembling N. spathulata was discovered by Adrian Yusuf. Two years later, it was given the informal name N. adrianii (n) by Batoro, Wartono, and Matthew Jebb
, and was treated as a distinct species in the book Trubus Info Kit: Nepenthes. Nepenthes adrianii is generally considered to be a heterotypic synonym of N. spathulata.
s are up to 15 cm long and cylindrical to angular or rhomboid in cross section.
Leaves are sessile to sub-petiolate and coriaceous in texture. As the name suggests, the lamina is spathulate. It may be up to 30 cm long by 10 cm wide and is gradually attenuate towards the base. The apex of the lamina is rounded and shortly acuminate or emarginate. Three to five longitudinal veins are present on either side of the midrib. Pinnate veins are generally indistinct. Tendril
s are up to 20 cm long and sometimes have a sub-peltate insertion.
Rosette and lower pitchers gradually or abruptly arise from the end of the tendril. The pitcher cup is ovoid in the lower third to two-thirds, becoming cylindrical and somewhat narrower above. N. spathulata probably produces the largest pitchers of the Sumatran Nepenthes species; they may be up to 30 cm high and 10 cm wide. A pair of fringed wings (≤25 mm wide) runs down the front of the pitcher. The gland
ular region covers the ovoid portion of the pitcher's inner surface. The mouth is round, very oblique throughout, and may be elongated into a short neck. The peristome
is narrow at the front (≤5 mm wide), becoming much wider towards the rear (≤25 mm wide). It is flared at the sides and may be scalloped, although this feature is somewhat atypical of the species as a whole. The inner margin of the peristome is lined with short but distinct teeth. The pitcher lid or operculum
is ovate, lacks appendages, and is often slightly cordate. The spur
, located near the base of the lid, is usually branched and may be up to 10 mm long.
Upper pitchers are infrequently produced. They are narrowly ovoid in the lowermost quarter to third of the pitcher cup, becoming cylindrical above. They are much smaller than lower pitchers, only reaching 15 cm in height and 3 cm in width. The mouth is approximately round and is not elongated into a neck. It has an oblique insertion. The peristome is also much thinner (≤7 mm wide) and is often undulate at the margins. Two pronounced ribs are present in place of wings. In other aspects of morphology, upper pitchers are similar to their terrestrial counterparts.
Nepenthes spathulata has a racemose
inflorescence
. The peduncle
is up to 5 cm long. The rachis
may be up to 15 cm long, although it is shorter in female inflorescences. Pedicels
are up to 10 mm long and have a filiform bract
eole. Sepal
s are obovate to oblong in shape and up to 4 mm long.
Inflorescences have a dense indumentum
of short hairs. Developing pitchers are also densely covered with short hairs, but most of these are caducous. The stem, lamina and tendrils are virtually glabrous.
The stem and lamina are green. Lower pitchers range in colour from light green with a dark purple peristome to yellowish-bronze with a bright red peristome.
and Sumatra
. In Sumatra, it has been recorded from the Indonesia
n provinces
of Jambi, South Sumatra
, Bengkulu
, and Lampung
. Its natural range stretches from Mount Tanggamus in the south to Lake Kerinci
in the north. It has a wide altitudinal distribution, having been recorded from elevations of 1100 to 2900 m above sea level.
Plants growing in mossy forest and lower montane forest usually have an epiphytic
habit, while those from stunted upper montane forest on summit ridges generally occur terrestrially. Nepenthes spathulata is also known to grow terrestrially in high altitude peat swamp forest near Lake Kerinci
, at an altitude of 1100 m. At this location, N. spathulata grows alongside N. ampullaria
, N. gracilis
, N. mirabilis
, N. reinwardtiana
, and N. tobaica
. Three natural hybrids of N. spathulata have been recorded there. The Nepenthes species and hybrids at this site exhibit high levels of introgression
. The vegetation is dominated by species of the genera Rhododendron
and Melastoma
, as well as orchids and fern
s. It is very stunted and dense, with few trees exceeding 3 m in height. It is somewhat reminiscent of the highland heath forest
s around Bareo
in Sarawak
, Borneo
.
Due to the patchy distribution of N. spathulata, its conservation status
is listed as Vulnerable
on the 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
. However, Charles Clarke
suggests a revised status of Conservation Dependent
based on the IUCN criteria.
The closest relative of N. spathulata appears to be N. singalana
. It differs from this species in having a peristome that is contracted towards the front and very wide at the sides. In addition, it has less prominent peristome ribs and shorter teeth than N. singalana. N. spathulata has an ovate lid, compared to the orbicular operculum of N. singalana. Furthermore, N. spathulata has fewer glands on the lower surface of the lid and they are concentrated near the centre.
In Jambi, the ranges of both species overlap, as the southernmost populations of N. singalana meet the northernmost populations of N. spathulata. Of particular note are plants growing on Mount Masurai, which appear intermediate in form between these two species and cannot be definitively assigned to either. These plants exhibit significant morphological variability, particularly in the development of the peristome, with some resembling N. singalana and others N. spathulata. Clarke writes that it "is possible that one taxon blends into the other in this region".
Nepenthes spathulata is also allied to N. densiflora
, a fact noted by B. H. Danser
in his 1940 description of the latter species. However, Jebb and Cheek considered it more likely that N. bongso, rather than N. spathulata, is a close relative of N. densiflora. Nepenthes densiflora can be distinguished from N. spathulata on the basis of its upper pitchers, which are typically infundibular rather than cylindrical. However, a number of N. densiflora plants on Mount Kemiri are known to produce unusual cylindrical aerial pitchers. Nevertheless, these plants differ from N. spathulata in producing infundibular lower pitchers.
The herbarium specimens Junghuhn 274 and Junghuhn 275, which were labelled as N. junghuhnii
by John Muirhead Macfarlane
, have pitchers that resemble those of N. spathulata (as well as N. bongso
and N. singalana). However, the poorly known N. junghuhnii is easily distinguished from these species on the basis of its strongly petiolate leaf bases.
The upper pitchers of N. spathulata, which are ovoid in the lower part and cylindrical above, distinguish it from other related species such as N. bongso
and N. ovata
.
In 2001, Clarke performed a cladistic analysis of the Nepenthes species of Sumatra and Peninsular Malaysia
using 70 morphological characteristics of each taxon. The following is part of the resultant cladogram
, showing "Clade 3", which comprises N. spathulata and three other related species.
Natural hybrids involving N. spathulata are relatively rare, as few other species grow sympatrically with it. Six putative hybrids have been recorded to date, three of which are known from a unique highland peat swamp habitat around Lake Kerinci
.
× N. spathulata is one of the hybrids recorded from the Lake Kerinci peat swamp. The parent species are not known to be sympatric at any other location and so this hybrid is unlikely to occur elsewhere. The pitchers of N. mirabilis × N. spathulata are reddish-brown with dark speckles and a bright yellowish-red peristome. It differs from N. mirabilis in its wider peristome, which bears distinct teeth and more pronounced ribs. From N. spathulata, it differs in having chartaceous, sub-spathulate leaves, usually with fimbriate margins.
× N. spathulata is also known solely from the peat swamp near Lake Kerinci. Like N. mirabilis × N. spathulata, this hybrid is unlikely to occur anywhere else. The lower pitchers are infundibular in the lowermost part, becoming ovoid up to the hip, and cylindrical above. A pair of narrow wings, which may or may not be fringed, run down the front of the pitcher. Upper pitchers are more elongated and less ovoid, with no wings or fringe elements. The peristome is flattened and only slightly expanded. The lid is large and sub-orbicular in shape. The leaves are linear-lanceolate in shape, slightly decurrent towards the base, and have a sessile attachment.
has also been recorded from the Lake Kerinci peat swamp. In addition, N. inermis
× N. spathulata is known from Jambi. Nepenthes gymnamphora
× N. spathulata has also been recorded. A sixth putative hybrid with N. spathulata has been observed on Mount Belirang in Jambi. Its lineage is unclear due to the apparent absence of other possible parent species in the area.
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...
native to Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
and Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
, where it grows at elevations of between 1100 and 2900 m above sea level. The specific epithet spathulata is derived from the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
word spathulatus, meaning "spatula
Spatula
The term spatula is used to refer to various small implements with a broad, flat, flexible blade used to mix, spread and lift materials including foods, drugs, plaster and paints...
shaped", and refers to the shape of the lamina.
Botanical history
One of the first collections of N. spathulata was made by Maurits Anne Lieftinck. The specimen Lieftinck 11 was collected in January 1935 on Mount Tanggamus near Lampongs, SumatraSumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
, at an altitude of 2000 m.
Nepenthes spathulata was formally described
Species description
A species description or type description is a formal description of a newly discovered species, usually in the form of a scientific paper. Its purpose is to give a clear description of a new species of organism and explain how it differs from species which have been described previously, or are...
by B. H. Danser
B. H. Danser
Benedictus Hubertus Danser , often abbreviated B. H. Danser, was a Dutch taxonomist and botanist...
later that same year, the first of two Nepenthes species described by the Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
botanist following the publication of his 1928 monograph, "The Nepenthaceae of the Netherlands Indies
The Nepenthaceae of the Netherlands Indies
"The Nepenthaceae of the Netherlands Indies" is a seminal monograph by B. H. Danser on the tropical pitcher plants of the Dutch East Indies, North Borneo, the Malay Peninsula, and eastern New Guinea...
".
The next major taxonomic treatment of N. spathulata came only in 1986, when Rusjdi Tamin and Mitsuru Hotta
Mitsuru Hotta
is a Japanese botanist best known for his research on Araceae.Hotta was born in Osaka, Japan in 1937. He graduated from the Agricultural Department of Osaka Prefecture University in 1960. The same year, he took part in the Tonga and Fiji Expedition organised by Kyoto University...
treated the species in synonymy with N. singalana
Nepenthes singalana
Nepenthes singalana is a highland Nepenthes pitcher plant species native to the island of Sumatra. It is most closely related to N. diatas and N. spathulata.-Taxonomy:...
. The authors also lumped four other species under N. singalana: N. carunculata, N. gymnamphora
Nepenthes gymnamphora
Nepenthes gymnamphora is a tropical pitcher plant native to the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra. There is much debate surrounding the taxonomic status of this species and the taxa N. pectinata and N. xiphioides....
, N. pectinata, and, by implication, N. densiflora
Nepenthes densiflora
Nepenthes densiflora is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Sumatra, where it grows at an altitude of between 1700 and 3200 m above sea level.No forms or varieties of N. densiflora have been described.-Taxonomy:...
. Many authors now consider N. carunculata to be a heterotypic synonym of N. bongso
Nepenthes bongso
Nepenthes bongso is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Sumatra, where it has an altitudinal distribution of 1000–2700 m above sea level. The specific epithet bongso refers to the Indonesian legend of Putri Bungsu , the spirit guardian of Mount Marapi.The species was formally described by Pieter...
and N. pectinata is often equated with N. gymnamphora.
On Mount Dempo
Mount Dempo
Mount Dempo is a high stratovolcano that rises above Pasumah Plain in the province of South Sumatra in Sumatra, Indonesia. Seven craters are found around the summit. A 400 m wide lake is found at the northwest end of the crater complex....
, Mike Hopkins, Ricky Maulder and Bruce Salmon found what they believed to be a new species of Nepenthes. They published an account of their discovery in a 1990 issue of the Carnivorous Plant Newsletter
Carnivorous Plant Newsletter
The Carnivorous Plant Newsletter is the official publication of the International Carnivorous Plant Society , the largest such organization in the world.-History and editorship:...
. It reads:
We headed back up the line and went to G. Dempo as we wanted to climb at least one unknown mountain. On this mountain, we found a new species related to the highland Sumatran species by its leaf shape, stem shape and inflorescence, but its upper pitchers are slightly similar to N. alataNepenthes alataNepenthes alata is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to the Philippines. It is found on all the major islands of the archipelago, with the possible exception of Palawan. It is one of the easiest and most popular Nepenthes species in cultivation....
from the Philippines. We gave the name N. 'dempoensis after the mountain from which it originated.
The name N. dempoensis is a nomen nudum
Nomen nudum
The phrase nomen nudum is a Latin term, meaning "naked name", used in taxonomy...
and the taxon
Taxon
|thumb|270px|[[African elephants]] form a widely-accepted taxon, the [[genus]] LoxodontaA taxon is a group of organisms, which a taxonomist adjudges to be a unit. Usually a taxon is given a name and a rank, although neither is a requirement...
is now considered conspecific with N. spathulata.
In 1997, the genus Nepenthes was revised in its entirety by Matthew Jebb
Matthew Jebb
Dr. Matthew H. P. Jebb is an Irish taxonomist and botanist specialising in the ant plant genera Squamellaria, Myrmecodia, Hydnophytum, Myrmephytum and Anthorrhiza, as well as the carnivorous plant genus Nepenthes....
and Martin Cheek
Martin Cheek
Dr. Martin Roy Cheek is a taxonomist and botanist specialising in the carnivorous plant genus Nepenthes.-Research:Cheek has described several new Nepenthes species, mostly with Matthew Jebb, including: N. argentii, N. aristolochioides, N. danseri, N. diatas,...
in "A skeletal revision of Nepenthes (Nepenthaceae)
A skeletal revision of Nepenthes (Nepenthaceae)
"A skeletal revision of Nepenthes " is a monograph by Matthew Jebb and Martin Cheek on the tropical pitcher plants of the genus Nepenthes. It was published in the May 1997 issue of the botanical journal Blumea. The work represented the first revision of the entire genus since John Muirhead...
". The authors kept N. spathulata as a valid species and designated Lieftinck 11 as its lectotype
Lectotype
In botanical nomenclature and zoological nomenclature, a lectotype is a kind of name-bearing type. When a species was originally described on the basis of a name-bearing type consisting of multiple specimens, one of those may be designated as the lectotype...
.
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
n taxon resembling N. spathulata was discovered by Adrian Yusuf. Two years later, it was given the informal name N. adrianii (n) by Batoro, Wartono, and Matthew Jebb
Matthew Jebb
Dr. Matthew H. P. Jebb is an Irish taxonomist and botanist specialising in the ant plant genera Squamellaria, Myrmecodia, Hydnophytum, Myrmephytum and Anthorrhiza, as well as the carnivorous plant genus Nepenthes....
, and was treated as a distinct species in the book Trubus Info Kit: Nepenthes. Nepenthes adrianii is generally considered to be a heterotypic synonym of N. spathulata.
Description
Nepenthes spathulata is a climbing plant. The stem may grow to a height of 5 m but is only up to 8 mm in diameter. InternodePlant stem
A stem is one of two main structural axes of a vascular plant. The stem is normally divided into nodes and internodes, the nodes hold buds which grow into one or more leaves, inflorescence , conifer cones, roots, other stems etc. The internodes distance one node from another...
s are up to 15 cm long and cylindrical to angular or rhomboid in cross section.
Leaves are sessile to sub-petiolate and coriaceous in texture. As the name suggests, the lamina is spathulate. It may be up to 30 cm long by 10 cm wide and is gradually attenuate towards the base. The apex of the lamina is rounded and shortly acuminate or emarginate. Three to five longitudinal veins are present on either side of the midrib. Pinnate veins are generally indistinct. Tendril
Tendril
In botany, a tendril is a specialized stem, leaf or petiole with a threadlike shape that is used by climbing plants for support, attachment and cellular invasion by parasitic plants, generally by twining around suitable hosts. They do not have a lamina or blade, but they can photosynthesize...
s are up to 20 cm long and sometimes have a sub-peltate insertion.
Rosette and lower pitchers gradually or abruptly arise from the end of the tendril. The pitcher cup is ovoid in the lower third to two-thirds, becoming cylindrical and somewhat narrower above. N. spathulata probably produces the largest pitchers of the Sumatran Nepenthes species; they may be up to 30 cm high and 10 cm wide. A pair of fringed wings (≤25 mm wide) runs down the front of the pitcher. The gland
Gland
A gland is an organ in an animal's body that synthesizes a substance for release of substances such as hormones or breast milk, often into the bloodstream or into cavities inside the body or its outer surface .- Types :...
ular region covers the ovoid portion of the pitcher's inner surface. The mouth is round, very oblique throughout, and may be elongated into a short neck. The peristome
Peristome
The word peristome is derived from the Greek peri, meaning 'around' or 'about', and stoma, 'mouth'. It is a term used to describe various anatomical features that surround an opening to an organ or structure. The term is used in plants and invertebrate animals, such as in describing the shells of...
is narrow at the front (≤5 mm wide), becoming much wider towards the rear (≤25 mm wide). It is flared at the sides and may be scalloped, although this feature is somewhat atypical of the species as a whole. The inner margin of the peristome is lined with short but distinct teeth. The pitcher lid or operculum
Operculum (botany)
An operculum, in botany, is a term generally used to describe a structure within a plant, moss, or fungus acting as a cap, flap, or lid. In plants, it may also be called a bud cap.Examples of structures identified as opercula include:...
is ovate, lacks appendages, and is often slightly cordate. The spur
Spur (biology)
A spur in botany is a spike, usually part of a flower.In certain plants, part of a sepal or petal develops into an elongated hollow spike extending behind the flower, containing nectar which is sucked by long-tongued animals . Plants with such structures include Delphinium, Aquilegia, Piperia, and...
, located near the base of the lid, is usually branched and may be up to 10 mm long.
Nepenthes spathulata has a racemose
Raceme
A raceme is a type of inflorescence that is unbranched and indeterminate and bears pedicellate flowers — flowers having short floral stalks called pedicels — along the axis. In botany, axis means a shoot, in this case one bearing the flowers. In a raceme, the oldest flowers are borne...
inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
. The peduncle
Peduncle (botany)
In botany, a peduncle is a stem supporting an inflorescence, or after fecundation, an infructescence.The peduncle is a stem, usually green and without leaves, though sometimes colored or supporting small leaves...
is up to 5 cm long. The rachis
Rachis
Rachis is a biological term for a main axis or "shaft".-In zoology:In vertebrates a rachis can refer to the series of articulated vertebrae, which encase the spinal cord. In this case the rachis usually form the supporting axis of the body and is then called the spine or vertebral column...
may be up to 15 cm long, although it is shorter in female inflorescences. Pedicels
Pedicel (botany)
A pedicel is a stem that attaches single flowers to the main stem of the inflorescence. It is the branches or stalks that hold each flower in an inflorescence that contains more than one flower....
are up to 10 mm long and have a filiform bract
Bract
In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis, or cone scale. Bracts are often different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or of a different color, shape, or texture...
eole. Sepal
Sepal
A sepal is a part of the flower of angiosperms . Collectively the sepals form the calyx, which is the outermost whorl of parts that form a flower. Usually green, sepals have the typical function of protecting the petals when the flower is in bud...
s are obovate to oblong in shape and up to 4 mm long.
Inflorescences have 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 short hairs. Developing pitchers are also densely covered with short hairs, but most of these are caducous. The stem, lamina and tendrils are virtually glabrous.
The stem and lamina are green. Lower pitchers range in colour from light green with a dark purple peristome to yellowish-bronze with a bright red peristome.
Ecology
Nepenthes spathulata is native to the islands of JavaJava
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
and Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
. In Sumatra, it has been recorded from the Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
n provinces
Provinces of Indonesia
The province is the highest tier of local government subnational entity in Indonesia. Each province has its own local government, headed by a governor, and has its own legislative body...
of Jambi, South Sumatra
South Sumatra
South Sumatra is a province of Indonesia.-Geography:It is on the island of Sumatra, and borders the provinces of Lampung to the south, Bengkulu to the west, and Jambi to the north...
, Bengkulu
Bengkulu
Bengkulu is a province of Indonesia. It is on the southwest coast of the island of Sumatra, and borders the provinces of West Sumatra, Jambi, South Sumatra and Lampung. The capital and largest city is Bengkulu city. It was formerly the site of a British garrison, which they called Bencoolen...
, and Lampung
Lampung
Lampung is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the southern tip of the island of Sumatra and borders the provinces of Bengkulu and South Sumatra. Lampung is the original home of the Lampung people, who speak a distinct language from other people in Sumatra and have their own alphabet. Its...
. Its natural range stretches from Mount Tanggamus in the south to Lake Kerinci
Lake Kerinci
Lake Kerinci is a lake in Jambi, Indonesia. It is located at ....
in the north. It has a wide altitudinal distribution, having been recorded from elevations of 1100 to 2900 m above sea level.
Epiphyte
An epiphyte is a plant that grows upon another plant non-parasitically or sometimes upon some other object , derives its moisture and nutrients from the air and rain and sometimes from debris accumulating around it, and is found in the temperate zone and in the...
habit, while those from stunted upper montane forest on summit ridges generally occur terrestrially. Nepenthes spathulata is also known to grow terrestrially in high altitude peat swamp forest near Lake Kerinci
Lake Kerinci
Lake Kerinci is a lake in Jambi, Indonesia. It is located at ....
, at an altitude of 1100 m. At this location, N. spathulata grows alongside N. ampullaria
Nepenthes ampullaria
Nepenthes ampullaria , the Flask-Shaped Pitcher-Plant, is a very distinctive and widespread species of Nepenthes, present in Borneo, Sumatra, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, the Maluku Islands, and New Guinea...
, N. gracilis
Nepenthes gracilis
Nepenthes gracilis , or the Slender Pitcher-Plant, is a very common lowland pitcher plant that is widespread in the Sunda region. It has been recorded from Borneo, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, central Sulawesi, Sumatra, and southernmost Thailand...
, N. mirabilis
Nepenthes mirabilis
Nepenthes mirabilis , or the Common Swamp Pitcher-Plant, is a tropical carnivorous plant species of the pitfall trap variety. It has by far the widest distribution of any Nepenthes species and is known from the following countries and regions: Borneo, Sumatra, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia,...
, N. reinwardtiana
Nepenthes reinwardtiana
Nepenthes reinwardtiana , Reinwardt's Pitcher-Plant, is a Nepenthes species found on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra. Although some sources have included Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore within the range of this species, these records appear to be erroneous.Nepenthes reinwardtiana has an...
, and N. tobaica
Nepenthes tobaica
Nepenthes tobaica is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Sumatra. It is particularly abundant around Lake Toba, after which it is named....
. Three natural hybrids of N. spathulata have been recorded there. The Nepenthes species and hybrids at this site exhibit high levels of introgression
Introgression
Introgression, also known as introgressive hybridization, in genetics is the movement of a gene from one species into the gene pool of another by the repeated backcrossing of an interspecific hybrid with one of its parent species...
. The vegetation is dominated by species of the genera Rhododendron
Rhododendron
Rhododendron is a genus of over 1 000 species of woody plants in the heath family, most with showy flowers...
and Melastoma
Melastoma
Melastoma is a genus in the family Melastomataceae. It has about 50 species distributed around Southeast Asia, India, and Australia. It is undergoing taxonomic revision. Many species have been planted around the world for the aesthetic value of their bright purple flowers...
, as well as orchids and fern
Fern
A fern is any one of a group of about 12,000 species of plants belonging to the botanical group known as Pteridophyta. Unlike mosses, they have xylem and phloem . They have stems, leaves, and roots like other vascular plants...
s. It is very stunted and dense, with few trees exceeding 3 m in height. It is somewhat reminiscent of the highland heath forest
Heath forest
Heath forest is a type of tropical moist forest found in areas with acidic, sandy soils that are extremely nutrient-poor. Notable examples are the Rio Negro campinarana of the Amazon Basin in South America, and the Sundaland heath forests of Borneo and neighboring islands.-External links:**...
s around Bareo
Bareo
Bareo is a small village situated on the National Highway-31. It shares schools with Namdargunj as other nearby villages in this area. The population consists of both Hindus and Muslims....
in 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...
, Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
.
Due to the patchy distribution of N. spathulata, its conservation status
Conservation status
The conservation status of a group of organisms indicates whether the group is still extant and how likely the group is to become extinct in the near future...
is listed as Vulnerable
Vulnerable species
On 30 January 2010, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species identified 9694 Vulnerable species, subspecies and varieties, stocks and sub-populations.-References:...
on the 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
IUCN Red List
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species , founded in 1963, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature is the world's main authority on the conservation status of species...
. However, 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...
suggests a revised status of Conservation Dependent
Conservation Dependent
Conservation Dependent was an IUCN category assigned to species or lower taxa which were dependent on conservation efforts to prevent the taxon becoming threatened with extinction...
based on the IUCN criteria.
Related species
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Nepenthes singalana
Nepenthes singalana is a highland Nepenthes pitcher plant species native to the island of Sumatra. It is most closely related to N. diatas and N. spathulata.-Taxonomy:...
. It differs from this species in having a peristome that is contracted towards the front and very wide at the sides. In addition, it has less prominent peristome ribs and shorter teeth than N. singalana. N. spathulata has an ovate lid, compared to the orbicular operculum of N. singalana. Furthermore, N. spathulata has fewer glands on the lower surface of the lid and they are concentrated near the centre.
In Jambi, the ranges of both species overlap, as the southernmost populations of N. singalana meet the northernmost populations of N. spathulata. Of particular note are plants growing on Mount Masurai, which appear intermediate in form between these two species and cannot be definitively assigned to either. These plants exhibit significant morphological variability, particularly in the development of the peristome, with some resembling N. singalana and others N. spathulata. Clarke writes that it "is possible that one taxon blends into the other in this region".
Nepenthes spathulata is also allied to N. densiflora
Nepenthes densiflora
Nepenthes densiflora is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Sumatra, where it grows at an altitude of between 1700 and 3200 m above sea level.No forms or varieties of N. densiflora have been described.-Taxonomy:...
, a fact noted by B. H. Danser
B. H. Danser
Benedictus Hubertus Danser , often abbreviated B. H. Danser, was a Dutch taxonomist and botanist...
in his 1940 description of the latter species. However, Jebb and Cheek considered it more likely that N. bongso, rather than N. spathulata, is a close relative of N. densiflora. Nepenthes densiflora can be distinguished from N. spathulata on the basis of its upper pitchers, which are typically infundibular rather than cylindrical. However, a number of N. densiflora plants on Mount Kemiri are known to produce unusual cylindrical aerial pitchers. Nevertheless, these plants differ from N. spathulata in producing infundibular lower pitchers.
The herbarium specimens Junghuhn 274 and Junghuhn 275, which were labelled as N. junghuhnii
Nepenthes junghuhnii
Nepenthes junghuhnii is a tropical pitcher plant belonging to the genus Nepenthes. This species has been the source of much confusion since its discovery. The taxon originally named N. junghuhnii by John Muirhead Macfarlane has never been formally published...
by John Muirhead Macfarlane
John Muirhead Macfarlane
John Muirhead Macfarlane was a Scottish botanist. He was born and educated in Scotland, where he occupied several different academic positions at the University of Edinburgh before emigrating to the United States to assume a professorial chair at the University of Pennsylvania in 1893. He held...
, have pitchers that resemble those of N. spathulata (as well as N. bongso
Nepenthes bongso
Nepenthes bongso is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Sumatra, where it has an altitudinal distribution of 1000–2700 m above sea level. The specific epithet bongso refers to the Indonesian legend of Putri Bungsu , the spirit guardian of Mount Marapi.The species was formally described by Pieter...
and N. singalana). However, the poorly known N. junghuhnii is easily distinguished from these species on the basis of its strongly petiolate leaf bases.
The upper pitchers of N. spathulata, which are ovoid in the lower part and cylindrical above, distinguish it from other related species such as N. bongso
Nepenthes bongso
Nepenthes bongso is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Sumatra, where it has an altitudinal distribution of 1000–2700 m above sea level. The specific epithet bongso refers to the Indonesian legend of Putri Bungsu , the spirit guardian of Mount Marapi.The species was formally described by Pieter...
and N. ovata
Nepenthes ovata
Nepenthes ovata is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Sumatra. The specific epithet ovata is Latin for "ovate" and refers to the shape of the lower pitchers.-Botanical history:...
.
In 2001, Clarke performed a cladistic analysis of the Nepenthes species of Sumatra and Peninsular Malaysia
Peninsular Malaysia
Peninsular Malaysia , also known as West Malaysia , is the part of Malaysia which lies on the Malay Peninsula. Its area is . It shares a land border with Thailand in the north. To the south is the island of Singapore. Across the Strait of Malacca to the west lies the island of Sumatra...
using 70 morphological characteristics of each taxon. The following is part of the resultant cladogram
Cladogram
A cladogram is a diagram used in cladistics which shows ancestral relations between organisms, to represent the evolutionary tree of life. Although traditionally such cladograms were generated largely on the basis of morphological characters, DNA and RNA sequencing data and computational...
, showing "Clade 3", which comprises N. spathulata and three other related species.
Natural hybrids
Lake Kerinci
Lake Kerinci is a lake in Jambi, Indonesia. It is located at ....
.
N. mirabilis × N. spathulata
Nepenthes mirabilisNepenthes mirabilis
Nepenthes mirabilis , or the Common Swamp Pitcher-Plant, is a tropical carnivorous plant species of the pitfall trap variety. It has by far the widest distribution of any Nepenthes species and is known from the following countries and regions: Borneo, Sumatra, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia,...
× N. spathulata is one of the hybrids recorded from the Lake Kerinci peat swamp. The parent species are not known to be sympatric at any other location and so this hybrid is unlikely to occur elsewhere. The pitchers of N. mirabilis × N. spathulata are reddish-brown with dark speckles and a bright yellowish-red peristome. It differs from N. mirabilis in its wider peristome, which bears distinct teeth and more pronounced ribs. From N. spathulata, it differs in having chartaceous, sub-spathulate leaves, usually with fimbriate margins.
N. reinwardtiana × N. spathulata
Nepenthes reinwardtianaNepenthes reinwardtiana
Nepenthes reinwardtiana , Reinwardt's Pitcher-Plant, is a Nepenthes species found on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra. Although some sources have included Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore within the range of this species, these records appear to be erroneous.Nepenthes reinwardtiana has an...
× N. spathulata is also known solely from the peat swamp near Lake Kerinci. Like N. mirabilis × N. spathulata, this hybrid is unlikely to occur anywhere else. The lower pitchers are infundibular in the lowermost part, becoming ovoid up to the hip, and cylindrical above. A pair of narrow wings, which may or may not be fringed, run down the front of the pitcher. Upper pitchers are more elongated and less ovoid, with no wings or fringe elements. The peristome is flattened and only slightly expanded. The lid is large and sub-orbicular in shape. The leaves are linear-lanceolate in shape, slightly decurrent towards the base, and have a sessile attachment.
Other hybrids
A third N. spathulata hybrid with N. tobaicaNepenthes tobaica
Nepenthes tobaica is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Sumatra. It is particularly abundant around Lake Toba, after which it is named....
has also been recorded from the Lake Kerinci peat swamp. In addition, N. inermis
Nepenthes inermis
Nepenthes inermis is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Sumatra. The specific epithet inermis is Latin for "unarmed" and probably refers to the upper pitchers of this species, which are unique in that they completely lack a peristome....
× N. spathulata is known from Jambi. Nepenthes gymnamphora
Nepenthes gymnamphora
Nepenthes gymnamphora is a tropical pitcher plant native to the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra. There is much debate surrounding the taxonomic status of this species and the taxa N. pectinata and N. xiphioides....
× N. spathulata has also been recorded. A sixth putative hybrid with N. spathulata has been observed on Mount Belirang in Jambi. Its lineage is unclear due to the apparent absence of other possible parent species in the area.
External links
- Nepenthes spathulata at ARKiveARKiveARKive is a global initiative with the mission of "promoting the conservation of the world's threatened species, through the power of wildlife imagery", which it does by locating and gathering films, photographs and audio recordings of the world's species into a centralised digital archive. Its...