Nepenthes rafflesiana auct. non Jack: Haberl. (1893) [=N. gymnamphora]
Nepenthes rafflesiana (/nɪˈpɛnθiːzræˌfliːziˈɑːnə/; afterStamford Raffles), orRaffles' pitcher-plant,[3] is a species of tropicalpitcher plant. It has a very wide distribution coveringBorneo,Sumatra,Peninsular Malaysia, andSingapore.Nepenthes rafflesiana is extremely variable, with numerous forms and varieties described. In Borneo alone, there are at least three distinct varieties. The giant form of this species produces enormous pitchers rivalling those ofN. rajah in size.
Nepenthes rafflesiana generally occurs in open, sandy, wet areas. It has been recorded fromkerangas forest, secondary formations, margins ofpeat swamp forest,heath forest, and seaside cliffs. It grows at elevations ranging from sea-level to 1,200 m (3,900 ft)[4][page needed] or even 1,500 m (4,900 ft).[7]
Nepenthes rafflesiana is a scrambling vine. The stem may climb to a height of 15 m (49 ft) and is up to 10 mm (0.4 in) thick.Internodes are up to 20 cm (7.9 in) long.[4][page needed]Tendrils may be over 110 cm (43 in) long.
The lower pitchers ofN. rafflesiana are bulbous and possess well-developed fringed wings. These terrestrial traps rarely exceed 20 cm (7.9 in) in height, although the giant form ofN. rafflesiana is known to produce pitchers up to 35 cm (14 in) long and 15 cm (5.9 in) wide. Upper pitchers are funnel-shaped and often bear a distinctive raised section at the front of the peristome. Both types of pitchers have a characteristically elongated peristome neck that may be 3 cm (1.2 in) or more in length.
Pitcher colouration varies greatly from dark purple to almost completely white. The typical form ofN. rafflesiana is light green throughout with heavy purple blotches on the lower pitchers and cream-coloured aerial pitchers.
Theinflorescence is araceme and grows between 16 and 70 cm (6.3 and 27.6 in) tall. The red or purple flowers usually occur singly, or sometimes in pairs, on each flower-stalk.
Young plants are wholly covered with long, caducous, brown or white hairs. Mature plants often have a sparseindumentum of short, brown hairs, though they may be completely glabrous.
Nepenthes rafflesiana is found in tropical lowlands. It produces two distinct types of pitchers (heavily modified leaves), which are used to capture and kill insect prey for nutrients. The lower pitchers are generally round, squat and 'winged', while the upper pitchers are more narrow at their base. The species is widely variable and comes in a variety of shapes and colors; most contain varying amounts of green, white, and maroon streaks.[citation needed]
AllNepenthes are passive carnivores with no moving parts, unlike their distant cousins theVenus flytrap.Nepenthes rafflesiana kills by luring its prey into its pitchers, whoseperistomes secrete a sweet-tasting nectar. Once the insect is inside, it quickly finds the walls of the pitcher too slippery to scale and drowns. Digestive enzymes released by the plant into the liquid break down the prey and release soluble nutrients, which are absorbed by the plant through the walls of the pitcher. The carnivorous nature ofNepenthes is supposedly a consequence of living in nutrient-poor soils; since the main method of nutrient absorption in most plants (the root) is insufficient in these soils, the plants have evolved other ways to gain nutrients. As a result, the roots ofNepenthes and most othercarnivorous plants are slight and fragile; hence care must be taken when repotting. AllNepenthes are dioecious, meaning that each individual plant has only male or female characteristics.[citation needed]
Nepenthes rafflesiana was discovered by Dr. William Jack in 1819. In a letter from Singapore published inCurtis's Botanical Magazine, Jack wrote the following account:[3]
It is impossible to conceive anything more beautiful than the approach to Singapore, through the Archipelago of islands that lie at the extremity of the Straits of Malacca. Seas of glass wind among innumerable islets, clothed in all the luxuriance of tropical vegetation and basking in the full brilliance of a tropical sky... I have just arrived in time to explore the woods before they yield to the axe, and have made many interesting discoveries, particularly of two new and splendid species of pitcher-plant [Nepenthes rafflesiana andNepenthes ampullaria], far surpassing any yet known in Europe. I have completed two perfect drawings of them with ample descriptions.Sir S. Raffles is anxious that we should give publicity to our researches in one way or other and has planned bringing out something at Bencoolen. He proposes sending home these pitcher-plants that such splendid things may appear under all the advantages of elegant execution, by way of attracting attention to the subject of Sumatran botany.
At the time the largest known species in the genus,N. rafflesiana was described in theGardener's and Farmer's Journal for 1850 as follows:[3]
Whoever has seen this plant in a living state must undoubted be constrained to consider it as one of the most astonishing productions of the whole vegetable kingdom. The resemblance that a portion of it bears to our more familiar domestic utensils leaves a lasting impression on the minds of spectators that is not easily eradicated; it is the largest and most magnificent of the genus, far surpassing any hitherto known in Europe.
Nepenthes rafflesiana is very popular in cultivation; it is a lowlandNepenthes (enjoying hot, humid conditions most of the time, as found in tropical jungle lowlands) but can be grown as an intermediate, with cooler nights and less humidity. It is a comparatively hardyNepenthes that is commonly recommended as a "first plant" to newNepenthes growers. The plant should be grown in shaded conditions, diffuse sunlight, or in a large grow chamber under artificial lights. Watering and misting should be performed frequently, and preferably with distilled water, to avoid mineral build-up that is not only unsightly but that may damage the delicate roots ofNepenthes (and most other carnivorous plants). Standing water is inadvisable. A wet, well-draining potting medium is a necessity. Methods of feeding are varied – some growers feed freeze-driedbloodworms orKoi pellets (both available in the fish section of most pet stores); others prefer orchid mixes. No carnivorous plant should ever be fed mammalian meat – this will result not only in an unpleasant smell but also the probable rotting of the pitcher and potential death of the plant. The digestive enzymes present have not evolved to handle large prey items, and the rotting material gives opportunisticbacteria andfungi a chance to take hold.[citation needed]
Left:Nepenthes rafflesiana var.insignis, an apparently "large-pitchered variety with unusually dark purple markings",[3] as illustrated inThe Gardeners' Chronicle, 1882 Right: A lower pitcher ofN. hemsleyana, previously known under a variety of names includingN. rafflesiana var.elongata andN. baramensis
Across its expansive range,N. rafflesiana exhibits great variability in both pitcher morphology and colour. The followinginfraspecific taxa ofN. rafflesiana have appeared in the literature. Most of these are not considered valid today, and a number represent differenttaxa altogether. The elongate plant often referred to informally asN. rafflesiana var.elongata, and described asN. baramensis,[8] is now known under the nameN. hemsleyana.[9]
Vegetative parts of the giant form (from left to right): a lower pitcher measuring over 30 cm; a tendril measuring over 110 cm; and an upper pitcher measuring around 45 cm.
Giant plants ofN. rafflesiana have been recorded from a number of isolated localities on the northwestern coast of Borneo and one population has been found near the seaside town ofSematan, around 110 km west ofKuching.[15] The typical habitat of this form is denseheath forest, especially around vegetation boundaries.[15]
The giant form is a much larger plant than the typical form in all respects. The stem may climb to a height of 15 m. Leaf blades are around two and a half times as long as usual. Lower pitchers reach 35 cm in height by 15 cm in width and sometimes exceed 1 litre in volume, making them some of the largest in the genus.[15] They vary widely in pigmentation, from white with red blotches to dark purple. Upper pitchers may be spotted or green throughout. The inflorescence is also massive, reaching over 1 m in length. The individual flowers measure up to 1.5 cm in diameter and have dark redtepals.[15]
In addition to its size, the giant form is distinguished by the colour of its developing leaves, which have a bronze sheen. Both this characteristic and the plant's exceptional size are exhibited by cultivated specimens and thus they cannot be due to unusual environmental factors.[15]
N. rafflesiana growing in a previously logged area.
Most wild populations ofNepenthes, includingN. rafflesiana, are endangered due to habitat destruction and (to a lesser extent) poaching.N. rafflesiana is currently listed as aCITES Appendix II plant, so it does have some international trade restrictions (though not an outright ban). Today, mostN. rafflesiana plants on the market are propagated byplant tissue culture or other forms of vegetative propagation. When purchasing any plant, especially those protected by CITES, it is important to ask the vendor about the plant's provenance.[citation needed]
^abClarke, C., J.A. Moran & C.C. Lee 2011.Nepenthes baramensis (Nepenthaceae) – a new species from north-western Borneo.Blumea56(3): 229–233.doi:10.3767/000651911X607121
^abcdeScharmann, M. & T.U. Grafe 2013. Reinstatement ofNepenthes hemsleyana (Nepenthaceae), an endemic pitcher plant from Borneo, with a discussion of associatedNepenthes taxa.Blumea58(1): 8–12.doi:10.3767/000651913X668465
^ab(in French) Teysmann, M.J.E. 1859.Énumération des plantes envoyées de Java au jardin botanique de l'Université de Leide.Annales d'horticulture et de botanique, ou Flore des jardins du royaume des Pays-Bas, et histoire des plantes cultivées les plus intéressantes des possessions néerlandaises aux Indes orientales, de l'Amérique et du Japon2: 133–142.
^Yulita, K.S. & M. Mansur 2012. The occurrence of hybrid inNepenthes hookeriana Lindl. from Central Kalimantan can be detected by RAPD and ISSR markers.HAYATI Journal of Biosciences19(1): 18–24.doi:10.4308/hjb.19.1.18
^abPhillipps, A., A. Lamb & C.C. Lee 2008.Pitcher Plants of Borneo. Second Edition. Natural History Publications (Borneo), Kota Kinabalu.
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