Nepenthaceae (1873 monograph)
Encyclopedia
"Nepenthaceae" is a monograph
by Joseph Dalton Hooker
on the tropical pitcher plant
s of the genus Nepenthes
. It was published in 1873 in the seventeenth and final volume of Augustin Pyramus de Candolle's Prodromus Systematis Naturalis Regni Vegetabilis
, which was edited by Augustin's son, Alphonse. The monograph focused primarily on new discoveries from northern Borneo
.
Published only a year after Ernst Wunschmann's "Über die Gattung Nepenthes", Hooker's monograph expanded the number of known species considerably. Hooker recognised 33 species, including 7 described for the first time: N. bicalcarata
, N. celebica (later synonymised with N. maxima
), N. echinostoma (later reduced to a variety of N. mirabilis
), N. hirsuta
, N. khasiana
, N. tentaculata
, and N. vieillardii
. Nepenthes blancoi and N. maxima
were listed as "species non satis notæ", while N. cristata was considered a "species admodum dubia". Hooker also described 5 varieties: N. albomarginata var. villosa
, N. boschiana var. lowii
(later described as N. stenophylla
), N. phyllamphora var. macrantha (later synonymised with N. mirabilis
), N. rafflesiana var. glaberrima
, and N. rafflesiana var. nivea
. Most of these varieties are not considered to be of taxonomic value today. Hooker's concept of N. rafflesiana
encompassed both N. rafflesiana and N. × hookeriana (the natural hybrid between N. ampullaria
and N. rafflesiana).
Hooker attempted the first subgeneric classification of the genus, dividing it into two sections
. He placed N. pervillei
in the monotypic
Anourosperma, distinguishing it on the basis of its round seeds. All other species were subsumed in the second section, Eunepenthes.
Monograph
A monograph is a work of writing upon a single subject, usually by a single author.It is often a scholarly essay or learned treatise, and may be released in the manner of a book or journal article. It is by definition a single document that forms a complete text in itself...
by Joseph Dalton Hooker
Joseph Dalton Hooker
Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker OM, GCSI, CB, MD, FRS was one of the greatest British botanists and explorers of the 19th century. Hooker was a founder of geographical botany, and Charles Darwin's closest friend...
on the tropical pitcher plant
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...
s of the genus Nepenthes
Nepenthes
The Nepenthes , popularly known as tropical pitcher plants or monkey cups, are a genus of carnivorous plants in the monotypic family Nepenthaceae. The genus comprises roughly 130 species, numerous natural and many cultivated hybrids...
. It was published in 1873 in the seventeenth and final volume of Augustin Pyramus de Candolle's Prodromus Systematis Naturalis Regni Vegetabilis
Prodromus Systematis Naturalis Regni Vegetabilis
Prodromus Systematis Naturalis Regni Vegetabilis, also known by its standard botanical abbreviation Prodr. , is a 17-volume treatise on botany initiated by A. P. de Candolle. De Candolle intended it as a summary of all known seed plants, encompassing taxonomy, ecology, evolution and biogeography....
, which was edited by Augustin's son, Alphonse. The monograph focused primarily on new discoveries from northern 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....
.
Published only a year after Ernst Wunschmann's "Über die Gattung Nepenthes", Hooker's monograph expanded the number of known species considerably. Hooker recognised 33 species, including 7 described for the first time: N. bicalcarata
Nepenthes bicalcarata
Nepenthes bicalcarata , also known as the Fanged Pitcher-Plant, is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to northwestern Borneo.-Botanical history:...
, N. celebica (later synonymised with N. maxima
Nepenthes maxima
Nepenthes maxima , the Great Pitcher-Plant, is a carnivorous pitcher plant species of the genus Nepenthes. It has a relatively wide distribution covering Sulawesi, New Guinea, and the Maluku Islands. It is closely related to N. eymae....
), N. echinostoma (later reduced to a variety of 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. hirsuta
Nepenthes hirsuta
Nepenthes hirsuta , the Hairy Pitcher-Plant, is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Borneo. It is characterised by an indumentum of thick brown hairs, which is even present on the inflorescence. Pitchers are mostly green throughout with some having red blotches on the inside surfaces.N. hirsuta...
, N. khasiana
Nepenthes khasiana
Nepenthes khasiana |endemic]]) is a tropical pitcher plant of the genus Nepenthes. It is the only Nepenthes species native to India....
, N. tentaculata
Nepenthes tentaculata
Nepenthes tentaculata , or the Fringed Pitcher-Plant, is a tropical pitcher plant with a very wide distribution across Borneo and Sulawesi...
, and N. vieillardii
Nepenthes vieillardii
Nepenthes vieillardii is a species of pitcher plant endemic to the island of New Caledonia. Its distribution is the most easterly of any Nepenthes species. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests....
. Nepenthes blancoi and N. maxima
Nepenthes maxima
Nepenthes maxima , the Great Pitcher-Plant, is a carnivorous pitcher plant species of the genus Nepenthes. It has a relatively wide distribution covering Sulawesi, New Guinea, and the Maluku Islands. It is closely related to N. eymae....
were listed as "species non satis notæ", while N. cristata was considered a "species admodum dubia". Hooker also described 5 varieties: N. albomarginata var. villosa
Nepenthes albomarginata
Nepenthes albomarginata , the White-Collared Pitcher-Plant, is a tropical pitcher plant native to Borneo, Peninsular Malaysia, and Sumatra...
, N. boschiana var. lowii
Nepenthes boschiana
Nepenthes boschiana , or Bosch's Pitcher-Plant, is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Borneo. It is most closely related to N. faizaliana. Nepenthes borneensis is considered a synonym of this species. Nepenthes boschiana has no known natural hybrids...
(later described as N. stenophylla
Nepenthes stenophylla
Nepenthes stenophylla , or the Narrow-Leaved Pitcher-Plant, is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Borneo. The species produces attractive funnel-shaped pitchers up to 25 cm high...
), N. phyllamphora var. macrantha (later synonymised with 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. rafflesiana var. glaberrima
Nepenthes rafflesiana
Nepenthes rafflesiana , or Raffles' Pitcher-Plant, is a species of pitcher plant. It has a very wide distribution covering Borneo, Sumatra, Peninsular Malaysia, and Singapore. Nepenthes rafflesiana is extremely variable with numerous forms and varieties described. In Borneo alone, there are at...
, and N. rafflesiana var. nivea
Nepenthes rafflesiana
Nepenthes rafflesiana , or Raffles' Pitcher-Plant, is a species of pitcher plant. It has a very wide distribution covering Borneo, Sumatra, Peninsular Malaysia, and Singapore. Nepenthes rafflesiana is extremely variable with numerous forms and varieties described. In Borneo alone, there are at...
. Most of these varieties are not considered to be of taxonomic value today. Hooker's concept of N. rafflesiana
Nepenthes rafflesiana
Nepenthes rafflesiana , or Raffles' Pitcher-Plant, is a species of pitcher plant. It has a very wide distribution covering Borneo, Sumatra, Peninsular Malaysia, and Singapore. Nepenthes rafflesiana is extremely variable with numerous forms and varieties described. In Borneo alone, there are at...
encompassed both N. rafflesiana and N. × hookeriana (the natural hybrid between 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...
and N. rafflesiana).
Hooker attempted the first subgeneric classification of the genus, dividing it into two sections
Section (botany)
In botany, a section is a taxonomic rank below the genus, but above the species. The subgenus, if present, is higher than the section, and the rank of series, if present, is below the section. Sections are typically used to help organise very large genera, which may have hundreds of species...
. He placed N. pervillei
Nepenthes pervillei
Nepenthes pervillei is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to the Seychelles, specifically the islands of Mahé and Silhouette. It grows in rocky areas near granitic mountain summits at elevations of between 350 and 750 m above sea level....
in the monotypic
Monotypic
In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group with only one biological type. The term's usage differs slightly between botany and zoology. The term monotypic has a separate use in conservation biology, monotypic habitat, regarding species habitat conversion eliminating biodiversity and...
Anourosperma, distinguishing it on the basis of its round seeds. All other species were subsumed in the second section, Eunepenthes.
External links
- Digitized version at the Internet ArchiveInternet ArchiveThe Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...