" New Nepenthes", Stewart McPherson's new release

Prolific carnivorous plants author Stewart McPherson is releasing a new title, " New Nepenthes", which has been announced a while ago via Redfern Natural History website:

http://www.redfernnaturalhistory.com/books

The casual reader might be suprised to discover a new Nepenthes monography after the recent and comprehensive "Pitcher Plants of the Old World" (2009), which actually, also included the genus Cephalotus.

Actually, an important number of new Nepenthaceae have been discovered during the three years since the publication of the 2009 monograph .

"New Nepenthes" by Stewart McPherson documents all new taxa that have been discovered and described in this span of time. This new title includes the formal scientific descriptions of eight new Nepenthes species, along with the presentations of over a dozen further recently described taxa that have not been covered in any past book.

The chapters in this work are arranged as regional groupings. The first is entitled "New Discoveries in Borneo", and includes descriptions of two new Bornean Nepenthes, N. appendiculata and N. epiphytica.

Nepenthes appendiculata

The most conspicuous feature of this new species is the appendage that you can see at the base of the lid, hence the name ;-)

 

Nepenthes epiphytica

Only a few specimens of this taxon have been observed in the wild, only growing as epiphytes, a feature that has been chosen to coin its name. This species has been known from herbarium material for a while: it has been collected by Dr. André Kostermans who has discovered N. campanulata. The species is close to N. fusca from Borneo and N. eymae from Sulawesi with which it shares the production of narrowly infundibular upper pitchers.

The next chapter, entitled "New Discoveries in Indochina", documents six new Indochinese Nepenthes and one new variety described since the publication of "Pitcher Plants of the Old World", namely N. andamana, N. chang, N. holdenii, N. kerrii, N. suratensis, N. thai and N. mirabilis var. globosa. The recent rediscovery of Nepenthes thorelii is also published here, along with a report of its rediscovery. Finally, an account of a newly discovered population of Nepenthes holdenii in Cambodia is presented, along with observations relating to an unidentified Nepenthes in the Cardamom Mountains of Cambodia.

Nepenthes thorelii

The true species, rediscovered at last, after more than one century. The scientific paper will include a new description and a lot of ecological data.

An unidentified Nepenthes from Cambodia

This taxon might turn out to be the variable N. smilesii. It requires more study. But the spectacular growth of this population alone justified the inclusion of a short communication.

The subsequent chapter, entitled "New Discoveries in the Philippines", opens with an account of nine expeditions to the highlands of Palawan that includes descriptions of all highland Nepenthes of that island, including N. gantungensis, N. leonardoi, N. palawanensis and N. sp. "Anipahan", all of which were discovered after the publication of "Pitcher Plants of the Old World". Also included in this section of the chapter is a report that significantly increases the known range of N. attenboroughii. The observations amassed during these nine expeditions has offered a much better understanding of the relationships between the highland Palaweño species, summarised in the section entitled, "Comparison of the highland Palaweño Nepenthes". The next section moves on to examine new discoveries that add to the understanding of the diversity and ecology of N. philippinensis, and the identity of mysterious populations of Nepenthes on many of the peaks of Palawan that resemble this taxon. The next section in the chapter is entitled "Exploration of Mount Kiamo", and documents the first observations of the Nepenthes of that mountain following ascents made earlier this year, resulting in the description of N. ceciliae and N. pulchra in this work. The next part of the chapter opens with a brief account of the exploration of Mount Hamiguitan in Mindanao, and describes N. hamiguitanensis, a recently described species that was formerly treated as a natural hybrid, as well as a further plant described as a new species from Mindanao and recently named Nepenthes robcantleyi. The final part of the chapter is entitled "Discovery of an incompletely diagnosed pitcher plant from Luzon", and recounts the discovery of an incompletely diagnosed taxon referred to here as N. sp. ‘Luzon’.

Nepenthes ceciliae

A small species close to N. copelandii but fairly distinct as far as I can see, from the many pictures I saw.

My friend Andy Smith who recently observed the species said that at first sight, the numerous small yellowish pitchers reminded him of  the pictures of N. campanulata. However both species are not relatives.

Nepenthes leonardoi

A new species which falls arguably within the N. mira "complex", a group that requires more work in my humble opinion. N. leonardoi is a striking species which can produce (but not always) nearly black pitchers. It was named after the late Leonardo Co:

http://carnivorousockhom.blogspot.com/2010/12/leonardo-co-1953-2010.html

Nepenthes pulchra

A new spectacular species (the upper are sometimes more than 30 cm long), closely related to N. petiolata. It is easily distinguished from the latter by his strongly decurrent leaf attachement but, of course, it is not the only features that separate it from N. petiolata.

Nepenthes robcantleyi

Fomerly casually known as "dark" or "royal" N. truncata within horticultural circles. According to the formal description, this species is mostly related to N. veitchii then to N. truncata. This spectacular taxon might be extinct in the wild.

Nepenthes sp. "Anipahan"

An undiagnosed species very close to N. mira. Maybe a good candidate to be an infraspecific taxon? ;-)

(There's, so far, not a single subspecies in the genus Nepenthes, only two recognized varieties)

Nepenthes sp. "Luzon"

Another undiagnosed taxon. The Philippines archipelago is definitely one of the Nepenthes centres of diversity.

The following chapter is entitled "New Discoveries in Sulawesi" and briefly recounts the discovery of two new species, N. nigra and N. undulatifolia, along with their formal scientific descriptions. Also included is an account of a new population of N. pitopangii which, whilst morphologically identical to the type population, exhibits distinct leaf and pitcher colouration.

Nepenthes nigra
A species related to both N. hamata and N. tentaculata. It was first introduced, in publications, as "Nepenthes sp. Sulawesi" .

Nepenthes pitopangii 

A new population of this beautiful species has recently been found. The species was previously known from one single specimen with a different coloration (similar to N. glabrata). Otherwise, the two "variants" are identical. The upper pitcher shown below bears a striking resemblance with the few photos we have of N. paniculata from New Guinea. But the leaves of the two species and the flowers have nothing in common.

Nepenthes undulatifolia

Maybe the most exciting taxon to me in this new set of discoveries. You can see that the species can be distinguished by its wavy leaves but also the strongly peltate leaves and the long tendrils with N. tenuis-like globose pitchers.

The last chapter concerning new Nepenthes in this work is entitled "New Discoveries in New Guinea", and includes a scientific description of a new Nepenthes, Nepenthes monticola, and an emended scientific description of N. lamii, with which the former was previously confused.

Nepenthes lamii
The former description has to be emended since it was acutally based on two taxa. The Nepenthes collectors will recognize the taxon known as "Nepenthes sp. Dooman's top 1" from Andreas Wistuba's "Nepenthes Nursery", a notoriously very difficult plant to grow: I have never seen a decent cultivated specimen of this plant.
http://www.nepenthes.de/shop/nepenthes/new-guinea/highland/nepenthes-spec-doormans-top-1-very-impressive.php

The true N. lamii grows on top of Doorman's top while another taxon occurs well below. The latter has been described, in the present title, as N. monticola.

Nepenthes monticola

This picture was previously used by Stewart McPherson in "Pitcher Plants of the Old world" to illustrate N. lamii which occurs on Dooman's top as well but on a higher elevation. The highland Nepenthes from New Guinea have therefore a quite complicated history: the plants from Doorman's top were first identified as N. vieillardii (a species now only recognized from New Caledonia), then the Papuan plants were described as a different species, N. lamii, in 1997. Now, the Papuan plants are regarded as two species:

N. lamii and N. monticola.

Informations and photos, courtesy of Redfern Natural History;-)