Nepenthes leonardoi
Encyclopedia
Nepenthes leonardoi is a tropical pitcher plant
known from a single locality in central Palawan
, the Philippines
. It is closely allied to several other Palawan endemics, including N. deaniana
, N. gantungensis
, and N. mira
. The traps of this species reach at least 24 cm in height. Some specimens are noted for producing very dark, almost black, upper pitchers.
. The species was initially known under the placeholder name
"Nepenthes sp. Palawan".
Nepenthes leonardoi was formally described
in the March 2011 issue of Carniflora Australis
by McPherson, Bourke, Cervancia, Jaunzems, and Alastair Robinson
. The specific epithet leonardoi honours Filipino botanist Leonardo Co, who was killed on the island of Leyte on November 15, 2010, reportedly as a result of "crossfire between government security forces and an insurgent group". The date of Co's death coincided with the first day of the Nepenthes expedition that led to the discovery of N. leonardoi. As explained in the species's describing paper:
The herbarium
specimen S. McPherson SRM 5 is the designated holotype
, and is deposited at the herbarium of Palawan State University
(PPC), Puerto Princesa City
. It was collected on November 20, 2010, near the summit of Schom-carp Peak at 1490 m. In preparing the species description, the describing authors also examined herbarium material of a number of closely allied species, including N. attenboroughii
(specimens A.Robinson AR001 and AR002), N. mantalingajanensis
(G.C.G.Argent & E.M.Romero 92114), N. mira
(G.C.G.Argent et al. 25438), and N. rajah
(Low s.n.).
, which is unbranched, reaches a maximum length of around 4 m. It is cylindrical and varies in diameter from 1.5–2.8 cm. Internodes are typically 1.5–18 cm long, becoming elongated in climbing specimens. Plants found under the shade of dense vegetation typically have longer internodes compared to those growing in more open areas, although the latter on average bear larger pitchers and inflorescence
s.
In younger plants, the lamina is usually narrower towards the base, becoming more oblong as the plant matures. The apex may sometimes be slightly peltate, with the tendril joining the lamina on the underside, up to 4 mm before the apex. Occasionally the two halves of the lamina may meet the midrib unequally at different points along its length, up to 3 mm apart in some specimens.
Tendril
s may be extremely long, sometimes exceeding 130 cm, particularly on leaves bearing lower pitchers. Those supporting upper pitchers are coiled.
is cylindrical to slightly flattened and up to 2 cm wide for most of its length, becoming broader towards the neck (≤2.5 cm wide). It bears ribs up to 2 mm high and spaced up to 2 mm apart, which terminate in teeth (≤4 mm long) on the peristome's inner margin. The digestive zone of the inner surface usually extends for around two-thirds of the pitcher's height, although some specimens may be wholly glandular. The pitcher lid or operculum
is elliptic and measures up to 5.5 cm in length by 3.5 cm in width. It lacks appendages or a keel. A spur is inserted near the base of the lid. It measures up to 9 mm in length, with a basal diameter of up to 3 mm, although it may be much smaller.
Upper pitchers are variably funnel-shaped, ranging from wholly infundibular to infundibular only in the basal quarter and cylindrical, or more rarely tubular, above. They may be considerably larger than their terrestrial counterparts, reaching 24 cm in height by 6 cm in width, though they rarely approach these maximum dimensions. The wings are commonly reduced to a pair of ribs in aerial traps. Upper pitchers resemble lower ones in other respects.
stage and as a vining plant. The species has a racemose
inflorescence
. Male inflorescences can reach a height of 50 cm, of which the rachis
constitutes up to 30 cm. Female inflorescences are similar in size, typically growing to 45 cm in length. Generally both male and female inflorescences are much shorter, however, especially in the case of plants growing in exposed sites. This being the case, exceptional specimens (also found in exposed areas) may produce a rigid inflorescence up to 110 cm length, of which only the distal 15% bears flowers. Inflorescences of both sexes have a basal diameter of approximately 1 cm and hold up to around 120 closely packed flowers, which are usually restricted to the distal quarter to half of its length. Flowers are usually borne on one-flowered pedicels
, although two-flowered partial peduncles
may also be present. The inflorescence often bears a vestigial leaf below the rachis. Male flowers are fragrant; their scent has been described as "distinctive, musty, sweet" and is noticeable from a distance of up to 60 cm. The smell of female flowers has not been recorded. Fruit
s are up to 8 mm long. As in most Nepenthes species, the seeds are filiform. They are pale brown and around 7 mm long.
of simple, reddish-brown hairs is present on certain vegetative parts, including the outside of the pitchers, the laminar margins, the lower surface of the midrib, and the tendrils (where they are somewhat more densely distributed). These hairs may be 2 mm long, but are typically shorter. They are caducous, being lost with age. Consequently, the laminar margins and midrib are particularly hirsute in developing leaves.
The range of colours displayed by the pitchers of N. leonardoi is exceptional among Philippine Nepenthes. Lower pitchers are most commonly orange to red on their outer surfaces, often flecked with slightly darker purple markings. The wings may match the external pigmentation of the pitcher cup or be yellowish-green. The peristome is often red and may turn purple with age. The lid is yellow to orange, frequently with red highlights.
In aerial traps, the pitcher cup is predominantly yellowish-green with a darker, orange to red peristome. In certain specimens the upper pitchers may be faintly red speckled. Beyond this common pigmentation, both lower and upper pitchers exhibit a continuum of colours across the species, from wholly yellowish-green at one extreme to entirely burgundy
at the other. The latter colour form is particularly striking and is far more frequently encountered in N. leonardoi than in any other closely allied Philippine Nepenthes. In extreme cases, the upper pitchers may look almost completely black. Flash photography shows the actual colour of the pitcher cup to be a uniform deep purple; their very dark appearance seems to result from a combination of this purple pigmentation and their brown indumentum. This effect is particularly pronounced in wet pitchers.
island of Palawan
. It has only been recorded from the upper slopes of a single mountain system centred on Schom-carp Peak (also known as Shumkat Peak or Shumkak Peak); it grows on the peak itself as well as on its eastern ridge, which extends in the direction of Narra
municipality
. The presence of this species on the easterly ridge connecting Schom-carp Peak with the Brow Shoulder massif
could not be confirmed by the describing authors, but they suggested it is likely to grow there and possibly on the massif itself. The altitudinal distribution of N. leonardoi ranges from at least 1300 m above sea level to the summit of Schom-carp at 1490 m. The only known population numbers several thousand individuals.
Nepenthes leonardoi is exclusively terrestrial
. Its typical habitat is upper montane forest (on the eastern ridge) and upper montane scrub
(in the summit area of Schom-carp Peak). It is not sympatric with other Nepenthes species and no natural hybrids have been recorded. Like its close relatives, N. leonardoi is apparently outcompeted by bamboo
and is consequently largely or completely absent from the highest parts of the eastern ridge. The infaunal community
of N. leonardoi pitchers includes small spider
s and unidentified mosquito
larva
e, the latter being found in abundance in both lower and upper pitchers.
The conservation status
of N. leonardoi has not been formally assessed for the IUCN Red List
, but the describing authors suggested it be considered Critically Endangered
based on the IUCN criteria, due to its localised distribution and small population size. Although the habitat of N. leonardoi remains untouched my human activity, the describing authors cited mining operations to the south, on the Mount Victoria
massif (to which N. attenboroughii
is endemic), as a possible future threat if appropriate conservation measures are not taken.
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...
known from a single locality in central Palawan
Palawan
Palawan is an island province of the Philippines located in the MIMAROPA region or Region 4. Its capital is Puerto Princesa City, and it is the largest province in the country in terms of total area of jurisdiction. The islands of Palawan stretch from Mindoro in the northeast to Borneo in the...
, the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. It is closely allied to several other Palawan endemics, including N. deaniana
Nepenthes deaniana
Nepenthes deaniana is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to the Philippines, where it grows at an altitude of 1180–1296 m above sea level. The species is known only from the summit region of Thumb Peak, a relatively small, ultramafic mountain in Puerto Princesa Province, Palawan.Nepenthes...
, N. gantungensis
Nepenthes gantungensis
Nepenthes gantungensis is a tropical pitcher plant known from a single peak on the Philippine island of Palawan, where it grows at elevations of 1600–1784 m above sea level.-Botanical history:...
, and N. mira
Nepenthes mira
Nepenthes mira is a highland pitcher plant endemic to Palawan in the Philippines. It grows at elevations of 1550–1605 m above sea level....
. The traps of this species reach at least 24 cm in height. Some specimens are noted for producing very dark, almost black, upper pitchers.
Botanical history
Nepenthes leonardoi was discovered on November 18, 2010, by Greg Bourke, Jehson Cervancia, Mark Jaunzems, and Stewart McPhersonStewart McPherson (geographer)
Stewart R. McPherson is a British geographer.He studied at the University of Durham in England, the University of Tübingen in Germany and Yale University in the United States....
. The species was initially known under the placeholder name
Placeholder name
Placeholder names are words that can refer to objects or people whose names are either temporarily forgotten, irrelevant, or unknown in the context in which they are being discussed...
"Nepenthes sp. Palawan".
Nepenthes leonardoi 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 the March 2011 issue of Carniflora Australis
Carniflora Australis
Carniflora Australis is a biannual English-language periodical and the official publication of the Australasian Carnivorous Plant Society. Typical articles include matters of horticultural interest, field reports, and scientific studies. The journal was established in March 2003...
by McPherson, Bourke, Cervancia, Jaunzems, and Alastair Robinson
Alastair Robinson
Dr. Alastair S. Robinson is a British-American taxonomist and field botanist specialising in the carnivorous plant genus Nepenthes...
. The specific epithet leonardoi honours Filipino botanist Leonardo Co, who was killed on the island of Leyte on November 15, 2010, reportedly as a result of "crossfire between government security forces and an insurgent group". The date of Co's death coincided with the first day of the Nepenthes expedition that led to the discovery of N. leonardoi. As explained in the species's describing paper:
The first four authors of this species discovered this plant on November 18th, and felt it fitting to name this plant, which is unique among Philippine Nepenthes in producing black pitchers, after Leonardo, in honour of his lifework and many accomplishments.
The herbarium
Herbarium
In botany, a herbarium – sometimes known by the Anglicized term herbar – is a collection of preserved plant specimens. These specimens may be whole plants or plant parts: these will usually be in a dried form, mounted on a sheet, but depending upon the material may also be kept in...
specimen S. McPherson SRM 5 is the designated 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...
, and is deposited at the herbarium of Palawan State University
Palawan State University
The Palawan State University is a government-funded university in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines. -History:PSU was established on March 2, 1972, as a teacher-training institution known as the Palawan Teachers College by virtue of Republic Act 4303 with Dr. Walfrido R. Ponce de Leon as...
(PPC), Puerto Princesa City
Puerto Princesa City
The City of Puerto Princesa is a city located on the western provincial island of Palawan, one of 80 provinces which make up the Philippines...
. It was collected on November 20, 2010, near the summit of Schom-carp Peak at 1490 m. In preparing the species description, the describing authors also examined herbarium material of a number of closely allied species, including N. attenboroughii
Nepenthes attenboroughii
Nepenthes attenboroughii is a montane species of insectivorous pitcher plant of the genus Nepenthes. It is named after the celebrated broadcaster and naturalist Sir David Attenborough, who is a keen enthusiast of the genus. The species is characterised by its large and distinctive bell-shaped...
(specimens A.Robinson AR001 and AR002), N. mantalingajanensis
Nepenthes mantalingajanensis
Nepenthes mantalingajanensis is a tropical pitcher plant known only from the summit region of Mount Mantalingajan, the highest point on the Philippine island of Palawan, after which it is named.-Botanical history:...
(G.C.G.Argent & E.M.Romero 92114), N. mira
Nepenthes mira
Nepenthes mira is a highland pitcher plant endemic to Palawan in the Philippines. It grows at elevations of 1550–1605 m above sea level....
(G.C.G.Argent et al. 25438), and N. rajah
Nepenthes rajah
Nepenthes rajah is an insectivorous pitcher plant species of the Nepenthaceae family. It is endemic to Mount Kinabalu and neighbouring Mount Tambuyukon in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. Nepenthes rajah grows exclusively on serpentine substrates, particularly in areas of seeping ground water where the...
(Low s.n.).
Description
Nepenthes leonardoi is a climbing or scrambling plant. The stemPlant 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...
, which is unbranched, reaches a maximum length of around 4 m. It is cylindrical and varies in diameter from 1.5–2.8 cm. Internodes are typically 1.5–18 cm long, becoming elongated in climbing specimens. Plants found under the shade of dense vegetation typically have longer internodes compared to those growing in more open areas, although the latter on average bear larger pitchers and 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.
Leaves
Leaves are petiolate to subpetiolate and coriaceous in texture. In mature plants, the lamina (leaf blade) is narrowly oblong and measures 15–50 cm in length by 6–10 cm in width. The laminar apex is typically acute or rounded, but may occasionally be abruptly truncated. The base may be shortly attenuate or obtuse, and encircles the stem for two-thirds to the entirety of its circumference.In younger plants, the lamina is usually narrower towards the base, becoming more oblong as the plant matures. The apex may sometimes be slightly peltate, with the tendril joining the lamina on the underside, up to 4 mm before the apex. Occasionally the two halves of the lamina may meet the midrib unequally at different points along its length, up to 3 mm apart in some specimens.
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 may be extremely long, sometimes exceeding 130 cm, particularly on leaves bearing lower pitchers. Those supporting upper pitchers are coiled.
Pitchers
Rosette and lower pitchers are variable in shape: they are usually wholly ovate or urceolate, but may also be globose. They grow up to 15 cm high by 6 cm wide, but are often considerably smaller. A pair of wings up to 12 mm wide runs down the ventral surface of the pitcher cup. These wings bear filiform fringe elements up to 10 mm long. The pitcher mouth is oval to circular and up to 6 cm across. It rises at the rear to form a conspicuous neck. The peristomePeristome
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 cylindrical to slightly flattened and up to 2 cm wide for most of its length, becoming broader towards the neck (≤2.5 cm wide). It bears ribs up to 2 mm high and spaced up to 2 mm apart, which terminate in teeth (≤4 mm long) on the peristome's inner margin. The digestive zone of the inner surface usually extends for around two-thirds of the pitcher's height, although some specimens may be wholly glandular. The pitcher 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 elliptic and measures up to 5.5 cm in length by 3.5 cm in width. It lacks appendages or a keel. A spur is inserted near the base of the lid. It measures up to 9 mm in length, with a basal diameter of up to 3 mm, although it may be much smaller.
Upper pitchers are variably funnel-shaped, ranging from wholly infundibular to infundibular only in the basal quarter and cylindrical, or more rarely tubular, above. They may be considerably larger than their terrestrial counterparts, reaching 24 cm in height by 6 cm in width, though they rarely approach these maximum dimensions. The wings are commonly reduced to a pair of ribs in aerial traps. Upper pitchers resemble lower ones in other respects.
Inflorescence
Nepenthes leonardoi is known to flower both in the rosetteRosette (botany)
In botany, a rosette is a circular arrangement of leaves, with all the leaves at a single height.Though rosettes usually sit near the soil, their structure is an example of a modified stem.-Function:...
stage and as a vining plant. The species has a racemose
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...
. Male inflorescences can reach a height of 50 cm, of which the rachis
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...
constitutes up to 30 cm. Female inflorescences are similar in size, typically growing to 45 cm in length. Generally both male and female inflorescences are much shorter, however, especially in the case of plants growing in exposed sites. This being the case, exceptional specimens (also found in exposed areas) may produce a rigid inflorescence up to 110 cm length, of which only the distal 15% bears flowers. Inflorescences of both sexes have a basal diameter of approximately 1 cm and hold up to around 120 closely packed flowers, which are usually restricted to the distal quarter to half of its length. Flowers are usually borne on one-flowered 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....
, although 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...
may also be present. The inflorescence often bears a vestigial leaf below the rachis. Male flowers are fragrant; their scent has been described as "distinctive, musty, sweet" and is noticeable from a distance of up to 60 cm. The smell of female flowers has not been recorded. Fruit
Fruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
s are up to 8 mm long. As in most Nepenthes species, the seeds are filiform. They are pale brown and around 7 mm long.
Indumentum
A sparse indumentumIndumentum
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 simple, reddish-brown hairs is present on certain vegetative parts, including the outside of the pitchers, the laminar margins, the lower surface of the midrib, and the tendrils (where they are somewhat more densely distributed). These hairs may be 2 mm long, but are typically shorter. They are caducous, being lost with age. Consequently, the laminar margins and midrib are particularly hirsute in developing leaves.
Colour
Colouration is highly variable. The laminae and petioles are often green throughout when produced in shaded conditions and red to purple in plants exposed to direct sunlight. In certain specimens the underside of the lamina and/or the stem may be red to purple, but this is uncommon. A red tinge to the stem is already apparent in many juvenile plants.The range of colours displayed by the pitchers of N. leonardoi is exceptional among Philippine Nepenthes. Lower pitchers are most commonly orange to red on their outer surfaces, often flecked with slightly darker purple markings. The wings may match the external pigmentation of the pitcher cup or be yellowish-green. The peristome is often red and may turn purple with age. The lid is yellow to orange, frequently with red highlights.
In aerial traps, the pitcher cup is predominantly yellowish-green with a darker, orange to red peristome. In certain specimens the upper pitchers may be faintly red speckled. Beyond this common pigmentation, both lower and upper pitchers exhibit a continuum of colours across the species, from wholly yellowish-green at one extreme to entirely burgundy
Burgundy (color)
Burgundy is a shade of purplish red associated with the Burgundy wine of the same name, which in turn is named after the Burgundy region of France. The color burgundy is similar to other shades of dark red such as maroon...
at the other. The latter colour form is particularly striking and is far more frequently encountered in N. leonardoi than in any other closely allied Philippine Nepenthes. In extreme cases, the upper pitchers may look almost completely black. Flash photography shows the actual colour of the pitcher cup to be a uniform deep purple; their very dark appearance seems to result from a combination of this purple pigmentation and their brown indumentum. This effect is particularly pronounced in wet pitchers.
Ecology
Nepenthes leonardoi is endemic to the PhilippinePhilippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
island of Palawan
Palawan
Palawan is an island province of the Philippines located in the MIMAROPA region or Region 4. Its capital is Puerto Princesa City, and it is the largest province in the country in terms of total area of jurisdiction. The islands of Palawan stretch from Mindoro in the northeast to Borneo in the...
. It has only been recorded from the upper slopes of a single mountain system centred on Schom-carp Peak (also known as Shumkat Peak or Shumkak Peak); it grows on the peak itself as well as on its eastern ridge, which extends in the direction of Narra
Narra, Palawan
Narra is a 1st class municipality in the province of Palawan, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 56,845 people in 11,521 households.-Barangays:Narra is politically subdivided into 23 barangays.* Antipuluan* Aramaywan...
municipality
Municipalities of the Philippines
A municipality is a local government unit in the Philippines. Municipalities are also called towns . They are distinct from cities, which are a different category of local government unit...
. The presence of this species on the easterly ridge connecting Schom-carp Peak with the Brow Shoulder massif
Massif
In geology, a massif is a section of a planet's crust that is demarcated by faults or flexures. In the movement of the crust, a massif tends to retain its internal structure while being displaced as a whole...
could not be confirmed by the describing authors, but they suggested it is likely to grow there and possibly on the massif itself. The altitudinal distribution of N. leonardoi ranges from at least 1300 m above sea level to the summit of Schom-carp at 1490 m. The only known population numbers several thousand individuals.
Nepenthes leonardoi is exclusively terrestrial
Terrestrial plant
A terrestrial plant is one that grows on land. Other types of plants are aquatic , epiphytic , lithophytes and aerial ....
. Its typical habitat is upper montane forest (on the eastern ridge) and upper montane scrub
Shrubland
Shrubland, scrubland, scrub or brush is a plant community characterized by vegetation dominated by shrubs, often also including grasses, herbs, and geophytes. Shrubland may either occur naturally or be the result of human activity...
(in the summit area of Schom-carp Peak). It is not sympatric with other Nepenthes species and no natural hybrids have been recorded. Like its close relatives, N. leonardoi is apparently outcompeted by bamboo
Bamboo
Bamboo is a group of perennial evergreens in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family....
and is consequently largely or completely absent from the highest parts of the eastern ridge. The infaunal community
Nepenthes infauna
Nepenthes infauna are the organisms that inhabit the pitchers of Nepenthes plants. These include fly and midge larvae, spiders, mites, ants, and even a species of crab, Geosesarma malayanum. The most common and conspicuous predators found in pitchers are mosquito larvae, which consume large...
of N. leonardoi pitchers includes small spider
Spider
Spiders are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs, and chelicerae with fangs that inject venom. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species diversity among all other groups of organisms...
s and unidentified mosquito
Mosquito
Mosquitoes are members of a family of nematocerid flies: the Culicidae . The word Mosquito is from the Spanish and Portuguese for little fly...
larva
Larva
A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...
e, the latter being found in abundance in both lower and upper pitchers.
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. leonardoi has not been formally assessed for the IUCN Red List
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...
, but the describing authors suggested it be considered Critically Endangered
Critically Endangered
Critically Endangered is the highest risk category assigned by the IUCN Red List for wild species. Critically Endangered means that a species' numbers have decreased, or will decrease, by 80% within three generations....
based on the IUCN criteria, due to its localised distribution and small population size. Although the habitat of N. leonardoi remains untouched my human activity, the describing authors cited mining operations to the south, on the Mount Victoria
Mount Victoria, Palawan
Mount Victoria , or Victoria Peak, is a mountain in central Palawan, Philippines, that lies within the administrative Municipality of Narra...
massif (to which N. attenboroughii
Nepenthes attenboroughii
Nepenthes attenboroughii is a montane species of insectivorous pitcher plant of the genus Nepenthes. It is named after the celebrated broadcaster and naturalist Sir David Attenborough, who is a keen enthusiast of the genus. The species is characterised by its large and distinctive bell-shaped...
is endemic), as a possible future threat if appropriate conservation measures are not taken.