Nepenthes faizaliana
Encyclopedia
Nepenthes faizaliana is a tropical pitcher plant
endemic to the limestone
cliffs of Gunung Mulu National Park
in Sarawak
, Borneo
. It is thought to be most closely related to N. boschiana
.
. The holotype
is deposited at the Sarawak Forest Department Herbarium (SAR) in Kuching
, Sarawak
; isotype
s are held at the herbarium of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
(K) and at the National Herbarium of the Netherlands
(L) in Leiden.
Nepenthes faizaliana was formally described
in 1991 by J. H. Adam
and C. C. Wilcock
. The description was published in the botanical journal Blumea
. Nepenthes faizaliana was named after the son of the describing author, M. Kh. Faizal.
In 1997, Matthew Jebb
and Martin Cheek
reduced N. faizaliana to a heterotypic synonym of N. stenophylla
in their monograph on the genus. This treatment was followed by Anthea Phillipps
and Anthony Lamb
in their book Pitcher-Plants of Borneo
. However, Charles Clarke
retained N. faizaliana as a distinct species in his monograph Nepenthes of Borneo
, which was published a few months after the work of Jebb and Cheek. This interpretation has been supported by subsequent authors.
s are cylindrical in cross section and up to 3 cm long.
The leaves alternate around the stem. They are petiolate and coriaceous in texture. The lamina is lanceolate to elliptic in shape and up to 14 cm long by 4 cm wide. Its has an acute apex and an obtuse base. The petiole
is canaliculate and up to 5 cm long. It is semi-amplexicaul, but lacks wings. Two longitudinal veins are present on either side of the midrib. Pinnate veins are indistinct. Tendril
s reach 20 cm in length.
Lower pitchers have not been formally described, although they are smaller and less frequently produced than their aerial counterparts. Upper pitchers are narrowly infundibular, becoming slightly wider in the upper part. They reach over 30 cm in height. In aerial pitchers, wings are usually reduced to a pair of ribs. The pitcher mouth has an oblique insertion. The peristome
is flattened, cylindrical in cross section, and up to 4 mm wide. The lid or operculum
is orbicular and has a distinctive gland
ular crest on its underside. An unbranched spur
is inserted near the base of the lid.
Nepenthes faizaliana has a racemose
inflorescence
. The female inflorescence of this species has not been formally described. In male inflorescences, the peduncle
is up to 17 cm long, while the axis
reaches 40 cm in length. Pedicels
are one-flowered, up to 20 mm long, and typically possess bract
s. Sepal
s are lanceolate to oblong in shape and up to 4 mm long. A study of 120 pollen
samples taken from the type specimen (S 44163 (Lai & Jugah)) found the mean pollen diameter to be 32.3 μm
(SE
= 0.4; CV
= 7.6%).
Nepenthes faizaliana bears an indumentum
of white, stellate hairs on its stem and petioles. The upper surface of the lamina is glabrous, whereas the underside has a sparse covering of short, branched hairs. In addition, long white hairs are present at the base of the midrib.
peaks of Gunung Mulu National Park
in Sarawak
, Borneo
. It typically occurs at altitudes of 1000 to 1600 m above sea level, although it has been recorded from elevations as low as 400 m. N. faizaliana occurs both terrestrially and as an epiphyte
on limestone outcrops and exposed ridge tops. It grows in close proximity to a number of other Nepenthes species, including N. stenophylla
, N. tentaculata
, and N. vogelii
, but only one putative natural natural hybrid with N. veitchii
has been recorded.
Although most populations of N. faizaliana are remote and inaccessible to regular visitors, the species can be easily observed along the Pinnacles Trail on Mount Api
.
The conservation status
of N. faizaliana is listed as Vulnerable
on the 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
based on an assessment carried out in 2000. In 1997, Charles Clarke
informally classified the species as Vulnerable
based on the IUCN
criteria, noting that it is Conservation Dependent
if populations in protected areas are taken into account.
. These two species differ in the extent of their indumentum
s; that of N. faizaliana is well developed and conspicuous, while mature plants of N. boschiana are virtually glabrous. In addition, the lower pitchers of N. boschiana tend to have a more bulbous base and a wider peristome. The upper pitchers are hard to distinguish, although those of N. boschiana usually have a wider mouth. Charles Clarke
writes that these differences are "not major" and that "closer comparisons seem warranted". Nepenthes boschiana and N. faizaliana are both limestone
endemics and occur on the highest limestone formations in Borneo: the Meratus Range
and the cliffs of Gunung Mulu National Park
, respectively.
Nepenthes faizaliana is also similar to N. stenophylla
, with which it was once synonymised. It differs from that species in having more lanceolate leaves, larger inflorescence
s, as well as a wider, more colourful and less recurved peristome
. The flowers of N. faizaliana are borne singly on bract
eate pedicels
rather than on two-flowered partial peduncles
. In addition, the glandular crest of N. faizaliana differs in shape and its lower pitchers are generally bulbous in the lower parts, unlike those of N. stenophylla. Some authors treat N. fallax in synonymy with N. stenophylla, while others consider them to be two distinct species, with plants commonly referred to as N. stenophylla actually representing N. fallax.
Nepenthes faizaliana also bears a resemblance to N. fusca
. In their description of the former, Adam and Wilcock distinguished these taxa
on the basis of inflorescence structure, the size of the glandular region on the inner surface of upper pitchers, and the development and characteristics of the indumentum
. In addition, N. faizaliana differs in having an orbicular pitcher lid, as opposed to the very narrow lid of N. fusca.
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...
endemic to the limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
cliffs of Gunung Mulu National Park
Gunung Mulu National Park
Gunung Mulu National Park near Miri, Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that encompasses incredible caves and karst formations in a mountainous equatorial rainforest setting...
in Sarawak
Sarawak
Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang , Sarawak is situated on the north-west of the island. It is the largest state in Malaysia followed by Sabah, the second largest state located to the North- East.The administrative capital is Kuching, which...
, 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....
. It is thought to be most closely related to N. boschiana
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...
.
Botanical history
The type specimen of N. faizaliana, S 44163 (Lai & Jugah), was collected on November 10, 1981, on Batu Panjang in Gunung Mulu National ParkGunung Mulu National Park
Gunung Mulu National Park near Miri, Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that encompasses incredible caves and karst formations in a mountainous equatorial rainforest setting...
. The holotype
Holotype
A holotype is a single physical example of an organism, known to have been used when the species was formally described. It is either the single such physical example or one of several such, but explicitly designated as the holotype...
is deposited at the Sarawak Forest Department Herbarium (SAR) in Kuching
Kuching
Kuching , officially the City of Kuching, and formerly the City of Sarawak, is the capital and most populous city of the East Malaysian state of Sarawak. It is the largest city on the island of Borneo, and the fourth largest city in Malaysia....
, Sarawak
Sarawak
Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang , Sarawak is situated on the north-west of the island. It is the largest state in Malaysia followed by Sabah, the second largest state located to the North- East.The administrative capital is Kuching, which...
; isotype
Isotype
Isotype can refer to:* In crystallography, an "isotype" is a synonym for isomorph* In biology, per the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature, the "isotype" is a duplicate of the holotype....
s are held at the herbarium of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, usually referred to as Kew Gardens, is 121 hectares of gardens and botanical glasshouses between Richmond and Kew in southwest London, England. "The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew" and the brand name "Kew" are also used as umbrella terms for the institution that runs...
(K) and at the National Herbarium of the Netherlands
National Herbarium of the Netherlands
The National Herbarium of the Netherlands was established in 1999 through a decentralized merger of the major university herbaria of Leiden , Utrecht and Wageningen...
(L) in Leiden.
Nepenthes faizaliana was formally described
Species description
A species description or type description is a formal description of a newly discovered species, usually in the form of a scientific paper. Its purpose is to give a clear description of a new species of organism and explain how it differs from species which have been described previously, or are...
in 1991 by J. H. Adam
J. H. Adam
Jumaat Haji Adam is a botanist and taxonomist specialising in the carnivorous pitcher plant genus Nepenthes.Adam has described numerous Nepenthes taxa, mostly with C. C. Wilcock, including the species N. faizaliana and N. mapuluensis, as well as the natural hybrids N. × alisaputrana, N. ×...
and C. C. Wilcock
C. C. Wilcock
Christopher C. Wilcock is a taxonomist specialising in the carnivorous pitcher plant genus Nepenthes.Together with J. H. Adam, Wilcock has described several Nepenthes taxa, including the species N. faizaliana and N. mapuluensis, as well as the natural hybrids N. × alisaputrana and N. ×...
. The description was published in the botanical journal Blumea
Blumea (journal)
Blumea - Journal of Plant Taxonomy and Plant Geography is a peer-reviewed journal of botany published by the National Herbarium of the Netherlands.Except for a short period during World War II, Blumea has been published continuously since 1934...
. Nepenthes faizaliana was named after the son of the describing author, M. Kh. Faizal.
In 1997, Matthew Jebb
Matthew Jebb
Dr. Matthew H. P. Jebb is an Irish taxonomist and botanist specialising in the ant plant genera Squamellaria, Myrmecodia, Hydnophytum, Myrmephytum and Anthorrhiza, as well as the carnivorous plant genus Nepenthes....
and Martin Cheek
Martin Cheek
Dr. Martin Roy Cheek is a taxonomist and botanist specialising in the carnivorous plant genus Nepenthes.-Research:Cheek has described several new Nepenthes species, mostly with Matthew Jebb, including: N. argentii, N. aristolochioides, N. danseri, N. diatas,...
reduced N. faizaliana to a heterotypic synonym of 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...
in their monograph on the genus. This treatment was followed by Anthea Phillipps
Anthea Phillipps
Anthea Phillipps B.Sc. is a British botanist. Phillipps was brought up in Sabah, Borneo as a child . She received a Botany degree from the University of Durham, England. She worked at the Sabah Museum before joining the Sabah Parks service from 1980 to 1987 as Park Ecologist, where she studied...
and Anthony Lamb
Anthony Lamb
Anthony L. Lamb M.A., Dip. Ag., D.T.A. is a British botanist, born in Sri Lanka, and specialising in the flora of Borneo. Lamb was educated at Blundell's School in Tiverton and at St John's College at Cambridge...
in their book Pitcher-Plants of Borneo
Pitcher-Plants of Borneo
Pitcher-Plants of Borneo is a monograph by Anthea Phillipps and Anthony Lamb on the tropical pitcher plants of Borneo. It was first published in 1996 by Natural History Publications , in association with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and the Malaysian Nature Society...
. However, Charles Clarke
Charles Clarke (botanist)
Dr. Charles M. Clarke is a botanist and taxonomist specialising in the carnivorous plant genus Nepenthes. Clarke has an honours degree in Botany from Monash University in Melbourne, and a Ph.D. in Ecosystem Management at the University of New England, in Armidale, New South Wales.Clarke first...
retained N. faizaliana as a distinct species in his monograph Nepenthes of Borneo
Nepenthes of Borneo
Nepenthes of Borneo is a monograph by Charles Clarke on the tropical pitcher plants of Borneo. It was first published in 1997 by Natural History Publications , and reprinted in 2006. Clarke describes it as "primarily an ecological monograph"...
, which was published a few months after the work of Jebb and Cheek. This interpretation has been supported by subsequent authors.
Description
The climbing stem of Nepenthes faizaliana may be up to 8 mm in diameter. InternodePlant stem
A stem is one of two main structural axes of a vascular plant. The stem is normally divided into nodes and internodes, the nodes hold buds which grow into one or more leaves, inflorescence , conifer cones, roots, other stems etc. The internodes distance one node from another...
s are cylindrical in cross section and up to 3 cm long.
Petiole (botany)
In botany, the petiole is the stalk attaching the leaf blade to the stem. The petiole usually has the same internal structure as the stem. Outgrowths appearing on each side of the petiole are called stipules. Leaves lacking a petiole are called sessile, or clasping when they partly surround the...
is canaliculate and up to 5 cm long. It is semi-amplexicaul, but lacks wings. Two longitudinal veins are present on either side of the midrib. Pinnate veins are indistinct. Tendril
Tendril
In botany, a tendril is a specialized stem, leaf or petiole with a threadlike shape that is used by climbing plants for support, attachment and cellular invasion by parasitic plants, generally by twining around suitable hosts. They do not have a lamina or blade, but they can photosynthesize...
s reach 20 cm in length.
Lower pitchers have not been formally described, although they are smaller and less frequently produced than their aerial counterparts. Upper pitchers are narrowly infundibular, becoming slightly wider in the upper part. They reach over 30 cm in height. In aerial pitchers, wings are usually reduced to a pair of ribs. The pitcher mouth has an oblique insertion. The peristome
Peristome
The word peristome is derived from the Greek peri, meaning 'around' or 'about', and stoma, 'mouth'. It is a term used to describe various anatomical features that surround an opening to an organ or structure. The term is used in plants and invertebrate animals, such as in describing the shells of...
is flattened, cylindrical in cross section, and up to 4 mm wide. The lid or operculum
Operculum (botany)
An operculum, in botany, is a term generally used to describe a structure within a plant, moss, or fungus acting as a cap, flap, or lid. In plants, it may also be called a bud cap.Examples of structures identified as opercula include:...
is orbicular and has a distinctive gland
Gland
A gland is an organ in an animal's body that synthesizes a substance for release of substances such as hormones or breast milk, often into the bloodstream or into cavities inside the body or its outer surface .- Types :...
ular crest on its underside. An unbranched spur
Spur (biology)
A spur in botany is a spike, usually part of a flower.In certain plants, part of a sepal or petal develops into an elongated hollow spike extending behind the flower, containing nectar which is sucked by long-tongued animals . Plants with such structures include Delphinium, Aquilegia, Piperia, and...
is inserted near the base of the lid.
Raceme
A raceme is a type of inflorescence that is unbranched and indeterminate and bears pedicellate flowers — flowers having short floral stalks called pedicels — along the axis. In botany, axis means a shoot, in this case one bearing the flowers. In a raceme, the oldest flowers are borne...
inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
. The female inflorescence of this species has not been formally described. In male inflorescences, the peduncle
Peduncle (botany)
In botany, a peduncle is a stem supporting an inflorescence, or after fecundation, an infructescence.The peduncle is a stem, usually green and without leaves, though sometimes colored or supporting small leaves...
is up to 17 cm long, while the axis
Rachis
Rachis is a biological term for a main axis or "shaft".-In zoology:In vertebrates a rachis can refer to the series of articulated vertebrae, which encase the spinal cord. In this case the rachis usually form the supporting axis of the body and is then called the spine or vertebral column...
reaches 40 cm in length. Pedicels
Pedicel (botany)
A pedicel is a stem that attaches single flowers to the main stem of the inflorescence. It is the branches or stalks that hold each flower in an inflorescence that contains more than one flower....
are one-flowered, up to 20 mm long, and typically possess bract
Bract
In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis, or cone scale. Bracts are often different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or of a different color, shape, or texture...
s. Sepal
Sepal
A sepal is a part of the flower of angiosperms . Collectively the sepals form the calyx, which is the outermost whorl of parts that form a flower. Usually green, sepals have the typical function of protecting the petals when the flower is in bud...
s are lanceolate to oblong in shape and up to 4 mm long. A study of 120 pollen
Pollen
Pollen is a fine to coarse powder containing the microgametophytes of seed plants, which produce the male gametes . Pollen grains have a hard coat that protects the sperm cells during the process of their movement from the stamens to the pistil of flowering plants or from the male cone to the...
samples taken from the type specimen (S 44163 (Lai & Jugah)) found the mean pollen diameter to be 32.3 μm
Micrometre
A micrometer , is by definition 1×10-6 of a meter .In plain English, it means one-millionth of a meter . Its unit symbol in the International System of Units is μm...
(SE
Standard error (statistics)
The standard error is the standard deviation of the sampling distribution of a statistic. The term may also be used to refer to an estimate of that standard deviation, derived from a particular sample used to compute the estimate....
= 0.4; CV
Coefficient of variation
In probability theory and statistics, the coefficient of variation is a normalized measure of dispersion of a probability distribution. It is also known as unitized risk or the variation coefficient. The absolute value of the CV is sometimes known as relative standard deviation , which is...
= 7.6%).
Nepenthes faizaliana bears an indumentum
Indumentum
The indumentum is a covering of fine hairs or bristles on a plant or insect.In plants, the indumentum types are:*pubescent*hirsute*pilose*villous*tomentose*stellate*scabrous*scurfy...
of white, stellate hairs on its stem and petioles. The upper surface of the lamina is glabrous, whereas the underside has a sparse covering of short, branched hairs. In addition, long white hairs are present at the base of the midrib.
Ecology
Nepenthes faizaliana is endemic to the limestoneLimestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
peaks of Gunung Mulu National Park
Gunung Mulu National Park
Gunung Mulu National Park near Miri, Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that encompasses incredible caves and karst formations in a mountainous equatorial rainforest setting...
in Sarawak
Sarawak
Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang , Sarawak is situated on the north-west of the island. It is the largest state in Malaysia followed by Sabah, the second largest state located to the North- East.The administrative capital is Kuching, which...
, 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....
. It typically occurs at altitudes of 1000 to 1600 m above sea level, although it has been recorded from elevations as low as 400 m. N. faizaliana occurs both terrestrially and as an epiphyte
Epiphyte
An epiphyte is a plant that grows upon another plant non-parasitically or sometimes upon some other object , derives its moisture and nutrients from the air and rain and sometimes from debris accumulating around it, and is found in the temperate zone and in the...
on limestone outcrops and exposed ridge tops. It grows in close proximity to a number of other Nepenthes species, including 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. 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. vogelii
Nepenthes vogelii
Nepenthes vogelii is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Borneo. It is thought to be most closely related to N. fusca.-Botanical history:...
, but only one putative natural natural hybrid with N. veitchii
Nepenthes veitchii
Nepenthes veitchii |James Veitch]], nurseryman of the Veitch Nurseries), or Veitch's Pitcher-Plant, is a Nepenthes species from the island of Borneo. The plant is widespread in north-western Borneo and can also be found in parts of Kalimantan. N...
has been recorded.
Mount Api
Mount Api is a limestone mountain located in Gunung Mulu National Park in Sarawak, Malaysia. Neighbouring Mount Benarat and Mount Buda are part of the same formation...
.
The conservation status
Conservation status
The conservation status of a group of organisms indicates whether the group is still extant and how likely the group is to become extinct in the near future...
of N. faizaliana is listed as Vulnerable
Vulnerable species
On 30 January 2010, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species identified 9694 Vulnerable species, subspecies and varieties, stocks and sub-populations.-References:...
on the 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
IUCN Red List
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species , founded in 1963, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature is the world's main authority on the conservation status of species...
based on an assessment carried out in 2000. In 1997, Charles Clarke
Charles Clarke (botanist)
Dr. Charles M. Clarke is a botanist and taxonomist specialising in the carnivorous plant genus Nepenthes. Clarke has an honours degree in Botany from Monash University in Melbourne, and a Ph.D. in Ecosystem Management at the University of New England, in Armidale, New South Wales.Clarke first...
informally classified the species as Vulnerable
Vulnerable species
On 30 January 2010, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species identified 9694 Vulnerable species, subspecies and varieties, stocks and sub-populations.-References:...
based on the IUCN
World Conservation Union
The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources is an international organization dedicated to finding "pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges." The organization publishes the IUCN Red List, compiling information from a network of...
criteria, noting that it is Conservation Dependent
Conservation Dependent
Conservation Dependent was an IUCN category assigned to species or lower taxa which were dependent on conservation efforts to prevent the taxon becoming threatened with extinction...
if populations in protected areas are taken into account.
Related species
Nepenthes faizaliana appears to be most closely related to N. boschianaNepenthes 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...
. These two species differ in the extent of their indumentum
Indumentum
The indumentum is a covering of fine hairs or bristles on a plant or insect.In plants, the indumentum types are:*pubescent*hirsute*pilose*villous*tomentose*stellate*scabrous*scurfy...
s; that of N. faizaliana is well developed and conspicuous, while mature plants of N. boschiana are virtually glabrous. In addition, the lower pitchers of N. boschiana tend to have a more bulbous base and a wider peristome. The upper pitchers are hard to distinguish, although those of N. boschiana usually have a wider mouth. Charles Clarke
Charles Clarke (botanist)
Dr. Charles M. Clarke is a botanist and taxonomist specialising in the carnivorous plant genus Nepenthes. Clarke has an honours degree in Botany from Monash University in Melbourne, and a Ph.D. in Ecosystem Management at the University of New England, in Armidale, New South Wales.Clarke first...
writes that these differences are "not major" and that "closer comparisons seem warranted". Nepenthes boschiana and N. faizaliana are both limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
endemics and occur on the highest limestone formations in Borneo: the Meratus Range
Meratus Mountains
The Meratus Mountains is a mountain range in the Indonesian province of South Kalimantan, on Borneo island. The mountains run in a north-south arc that divides South Kalimantan province into two almost equal parts...
and the cliffs of Gunung Mulu National Park
Gunung Mulu National Park
Gunung Mulu National Park near Miri, Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that encompasses incredible caves and karst formations in a mountainous equatorial rainforest setting...
, respectively.
Nepenthes faizaliana is also similar to 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...
, with which it was once synonymised. It differs from that species in having more lanceolate leaves, larger inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
s, as well as a wider, more colourful and less recurved peristome
Peristome
The word peristome is derived from the Greek peri, meaning 'around' or 'about', and stoma, 'mouth'. It is a term used to describe various anatomical features that surround an opening to an organ or structure. The term is used in plants and invertebrate animals, such as in describing the shells of...
. The flowers of N. faizaliana are borne singly on bract
Bract
In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis, or cone scale. Bracts are often different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or of a different color, shape, or texture...
eate pedicels
Pedicel (botany)
A pedicel is a stem that attaches single flowers to the main stem of the inflorescence. It is the branches or stalks that hold each flower in an inflorescence that contains more than one flower....
rather than on two-flowered partial peduncles
Peduncle (botany)
In botany, a peduncle is a stem supporting an inflorescence, or after fecundation, an infructescence.The peduncle is a stem, usually green and without leaves, though sometimes colored or supporting small leaves...
. In addition, the glandular crest of N. faizaliana differs in shape and its lower pitchers are generally bulbous in the lower parts, unlike those of N. stenophylla. Some authors treat N. fallax in synonymy with N. stenophylla, while others consider them to be two distinct species, with plants commonly referred to as N. stenophylla actually representing N. fallax.
Nepenthes faizaliana also bears a resemblance to N. fusca
Nepenthes fusca
Nepenthes fusca , or the Dusky Pitcher-Plant, is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Borneo. It is found throughout a wide altitudinal range and is almost always epiphytic in nature, primarily growing in mossy forest....
. In their description of the former, Adam and Wilcock distinguished these taxa
Taxon
|thumb|270px|[[African elephants]] form a widely-accepted taxon, the [[genus]] LoxodontaA taxon is a group of organisms, which a taxonomist adjudges to be a unit. Usually a taxon is given a name and a rank, although neither is a requirement...
on the basis of inflorescence structure, the size of the glandular region on the inner surface of upper pitchers, and the development and characteristics of the indumentum
Indumentum
The indumentum is a covering of fine hairs or bristles on a plant or insect.In plants, the indumentum types are:*pubescent*hirsute*pilose*villous*tomentose*stellate*scabrous*scurfy...
. In addition, N. faizaliana differs in having an orbicular pitcher lid, as opposed to the very narrow lid of N. fusca.
External links
- Nepenthes faizaliana at ARKiveARKiveARKive is a global initiative with the mission of "promoting the conservation of the world's threatened species, through the power of wildlife imagery", which it does by locating and gathering films, photographs and audio recordings of the world's species into a centralised digital archive. Its...
- Nepenthes faizaliana at NPGS/GRINGermplasm Resources Information NetworkGermplasm Resources Information Network or GRIN is an online software project of National Genetic Resources Program of USDA to provide germplasm information about plants, animals, microbes and invertebrates.-Sub-Projects:...