Palawan Pitcher Plant
Nepenthes philippinensis
123 vaaiga
Taxonomy
| Aiga: | Nepenthaceae |
|---|---|
| Genus: | Nepenthes |
| Poloaiga: | Caryophyllales |
Vaaiga lautele
Nepenthes philippinensis is a lowland tropical pitcher plant endemic to the Philippines, where it grows on Palawan and the neighbouring Calamian Islands from sea level to about 600 m. It is common in scrub over ultramafic soils in southern Palawan.
Nepenthes philippinensis has been described by Barry Rice as another N. alata-like plant, this one from Palawan. Despite that resemblance, Matthew Jebb and Martin Cheek suggest it is more closely related to the Bornean species N. hirsuta, N. hispida and N. macrovulgaris than to N. alata.
The species is remarkable for its flowering: it produces more inflorescences at once than any other Nepenthes, with up to 190 recorded on a single plant. Like all Nepenthes, plants are either male or female.
No natural hybrids are known, and no forms or varieties have been formally described, although many plants resembling N. philippinensis grow on the isolated peaks of Palawan.
Fa'amatalaga Fa'afanua
Itulagi: Philippines (endemic): Palawan, Culion, Busuanga, Coron, Linapacan and nearby islands
Sone o le Tau: Tropical lowland; cultivated under glass outside the tropics
Known from Palawan and the neighbouring Calamian Islands (including Busuanga, Coron and Culion) and Linapacan, at 0-600 m (0-2,000 ft) above sea level. Co's Digital Flora of the Philippines describes it as common on scrub over ultramafic soils throughout the southern half of Palawan, and gives its elevation as 0-600 m, occasionally up to 1,600 m.
Uiga Faaletino
Fuamatua: No reliable maximum pitcher size is given in the sources cited
Fuafuaga o le Tuputupu ae: Moderate
Ituaiga Mailei: Pitfall Trap
Like other Nepenthes, each pitcher is a modified leaf tip that holds digestive fluid. Prey is drawn in by color, nectar and scent. The peristome around the mouth is slippery, especially when wet, so insects lose their footing and fall in, and a waxy coating on the upper inner wall makes escape nearly impossible. Glands in the lower part of the pitcher absorb the nutrients released from the prey. The lid helps keep rain from diluting the fluid.
Taiala Tausiga
Malamalama Manaomia
Bright, diffuse light. A bright greenhouse or a well-lit growing area works; artificial light can be enough if it is bright.
Bright light year round; no seasonal rest aso uma
Suavai Manaomia
Ituaiga: Purified water (distilled, reverse osmosis or rain) is safest
Metotia: Water from above to keep the mix evenly moist and let it drain. Do not keep the pot standing in water, which dwarfs the roots.
Fa'atele: Often enough that the mix stays moist
Susū: High: at least 60%, ideally near 90%
Eleele
A 50:50 mix of long-fiber sphagnum moss and perlite is a good starting point; pure sphagnum or sphagnum with other aggregates also works. Inspect the roots after a year.
pH: Acidic (sphagnum based)
vevela
Summer: Days 86-93°F (30-34°C), nights 14°F (8°C) cooler
Taumalulu: Same as summer; keep warm all year
Fafaga
Fa'atele: Optional; any fertilizer at most once or twice a month into pitchers
If you fertilize at all, try a small amount of orchid or epiphyte fertilizer in the pitchers once or twice a month and watch the effect.
Fa'aliga
Metotia: Stem cuttings of about two leaves each, leaves trimmed to a third, kept in very high humidity; roots usually form in about a month. Seed needs a male and a female plant flowering at the same time; sow it immediately.
Faigata: Moderate
Fautuaga mo Amata
Give steady warmth, high humidity and bright light, and water from the top. This is a lowland plant, so avoid cold nights.
Fa'afitauli
No new pitchers and burnt leaf edges: humidity too low. Poor root system: the pot has been left standing in water, or the mix does not suit your conditions.
Fautuaga Faatupulaia
Taking cuttings Advanced
Cut a green stem into pieces with about two leaves each, trim the leaves to a third and keep the cuttings in a bag at near 100% humidity. Roots usually appear within a month or so.
Do not let it stand in water Troubleshooting
Water from above and let the pot drain. Nepenthes left in a tray of water develop stunted roots.
A warm-growing lowlander General
N. philippinensis grows from sea level to about 600 m. Keep days around 30-34°C and nights only about 8°C cooler.
Mea Moni Manaia
Up to 190 inflorescences have been recorded at once on a single plant, the most of any Nepenthes.
N. wilkiei, described in 1998, turned out to be the same species.
It has no known natural hybrids.
The IUCN Red List classes it as Least Concern (Clarke and Lee, 2014, assessment T49000838A49009847); the Philippine national list (DAO) classes it as Endangered.
Talafaasolopito
John Muirhead Macfarlane described Nepenthes philippinensis in 1908 in his monograph on the Nepenthaceae for Engler's Das Pflanzenreich. Elmer Drew Merrill's N. brachycarpa (1915) is a synonym. In 1998 Matthew Jebb and Martin Cheek described N. wilkiei, which was later found to be the same species. B. H. Danser had included the species in a broad concept of N. alata in 1928.
Fuafuaga
- Nepenthes philippinensis, Wikipedia
- Nepenthes, Wikipedia
- Nepenthes: species of the Philippines, The Carnivorous Plant FAQ (Barry Rice)
- Nepenthaceae, Co's Digital Flora of the Philippines
- Nepenthes: basic cultivation, The Carnivorous Plant FAQ (Barry Rice)
- Nepenthes: advanced cultivation, The Carnivorous Plant FAQ (Barry Rice)
Faʻamatalaga e masani ona fesiligia
Avanoa mo le Fa'atau
Ituaiga Fa'atatau
Tumau Fa'afou ile Palawan Pitcher Plant
Fa'asoa e maua fautuaga tau tausiga, ta'iala tuputupu a'e, ma fa'afouga fa'apitoa i Palawan Pitcher Plant ma isi laau toto.