Nepenthes bongso
Species of pitcher plant from Sumatra
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Nepenthes bongso /nɪˈpɛnθiːz ˈbɒŋsoʊ/ is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Sumatra, where it has an altitudinal distribution of 1000–2700 m above sea level.[10][11] The specific epithet bongso refers to the Indonesian legend of Putri Bungsu (literally "youngest daughter"), the spirit guardian of Mount Marapi.[10]
| Nepenthes bongso | |
|---|---|
| |
| A freshly opened lower pitcher | |
 | |
| An upper pitcher of a variant sometimes distinguished as N. carunculata, from a minor peak near Solok, West Sumatra | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Embryophytes |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Nepenthaceae |
| Genus: | Nepenthes |
| Species: | N. bongso |
| Binomial name | |
| Nepenthes bongso | |
 | |
| Distribution of N. bongso | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Taxonomy
The species was formally described by Pieter Willem Korthals in his 1839 monograph, "Over het geslacht Nepenthes".[2]
Nepenthes carunculata[note a] is considered a heterotypic synonym of N. bongso by most authorities.[8][9][10][12] The infraspecific taxon Nepenthes carunculata var. robusta was described in 1994 by Joachim Nerz and Andreas Wistuba.[13] It is an extreme variety of this taxon with a large, flared peristome.[13]
In his Carnivorous Plant Database, taxonomist Jan Schlauer treats N. junghuhnii (sensu Macfarlane) as a possible synonym of N. bongso.[14]
Related species
| Character | N. bongso | N. dubia | N. talangensis | N. tenuis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shape of upper pitchers | tubulate - infundibulate | tubulous in the lower part, infundibulate above the middle | tubulous to narrow infundibuliform in the lower half, ovate in the upper half | wide infundibulate, contracted below the mouth |
| Lid | orbiculate | narrow cuneate | broad-ovate | very narrow elliptical |
| Length/width ratio of upper pitchers | 3.3 | 1.9 | 2.3 | 1.75 |
A typical lower pitcher of N. bongso
Lower pitchers (developing, open, and dried)
Lower pitchers of N. carunculata, which is often treated as a synonym
Natural hybrids
The following natural hybrids involving N. bongso have been recorded.
- N. bongso × N. gymnamphora[10]
- N. bongso × N. singalana[10]
- N. bongso × N. talangensis[10]
In his 1928 monograph "The Nepenthaceae of the Netherlands Indies", B. H. Danser mentioned what he thought was the hybrid N. bongso × N. pectinata;[5] however, this plant material is now known to represent N. densiflora,[10] a species described by Danser 12 years later.[15]
Notes
- a.^ Nepenthes carunculata is pronounced /nɪˈpɛnθiːz kəˌrʌŋkjʊˈlɑːtə/. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin word caruncula, a diminutive of caro (flesh), and refers to the fleshy seed appendages of this taxon.
