Nepenthes ovata
Encyclopedia
Nepenthes ovata is a tropical pitcher plant
endemic to Sumatra
. The specific epithet ovata is Latin
for "ovate" and refers to the shape of the lower pitchers.
on Mount Lubukraya (Loeboekraja). Junghuhn collected two specimens at an elevation of 1990 m. Their growth habit is recorded as "in silvis cacuminis supremi scandens, repens", which means "in woods above peak creeping, climbing". One of the specimens, H.L.B. 908,155-870, was originally deposited at Herbarium Lugduno-Batavum in Leiden, while the other, H.A.R.T. 000252, was deposited at Herbarium Academicum Rheno-Traiectinum, the herbarium of the University of Utrecht. They are now held at the National Herbarium of the Netherlands
in Leiden. Both consist of male plant material.
In his seminal monograph "The Nepenthaceae of the Netherlands Indies
", published in 1928, B. H. Danser
referred the plant material collected by Junghuhn to N. bongso
. Danser also treated specimens of N. talangensis
under this taxon
.
These two species were again confused with N. bongso in a 1973 article on the Nepenthes of Borneo
, Singapore
and Sumatra
, authored by botanist Shigeo Kurata
.
In the 1983 book Carnivorous Plants of the World in Colour by Katsuhiko and Masahiro Kondo, a photograph of N. ovata is identified as N. pectinata. Many authors consider the latter to be conspecific with N. gymnamphora
. Either way, the species bears little resemblance to N. ovata.
Nepenthes ovata was formally described
in 1994 by Joachim Nerz
and Andreas Wistuba
. The holotype
, Nerz 1601, was collected on March 16, 1989, on the west ridge of Mount Pangulubao
at an altitude of 1800 m. It consists of a rosette with pitchers. Two other specimens were collected at the same time and location. Nerz 1602 includes a vine with pitchers and male flowers, while Nerz 1603 consists of a vine with male flowers. All three specimens are deposited at the National Herbarium of the Netherlands
in Leiden.
In their monograph "A skeletal revision of Nepenthes (Nepenthaceae)
", published in 1997, Matthew Jebb
and Martin Cheek
identified three specimens belonging to N. ovata as N. densiflora
. One of these specimens, Frey-Wyssling 43, was collected on Mount Pangulubao at 1800 m, which is the type locality of N. ovata. It consists of an immature rosette and a lower pitcher. A second specimen, Frey-Wyssling 13, was collected in Dolok "Baros", also at 1800 m. Finally, Opperhout 27/11/1929 was taken on that date from the summit of Dolok Sempenan at 1600 m. It consists of a rosette and a lower pitcher with its lid missing. Despite this, it can be identified as belonging to N. ovata based on the structure of the peristome
. All three specimens are deposited at the Bogor Botanical Gardens
(formerly the Herbarium of the Buitenzorg Botanic Gardens) in Java
.
Two further specimens of N. ovata, Nepenthes Team (Hernawati, P. Akhriadi & I. Petra) NP 373 and 377, were collected on December 16, 2003, as part of a conservation expedition focusing on Nepenthes. They were taken from Mount Pangulubao at an altitude of between 1500 and 2100 m. Both are deposited at the herbarium of Andalas University
in Padang
, West Sumatra
.
s are cylindrical and up to 15 cm long.
Leaves are coriaceous in texture and sessile to broadly sub-petiolate. The lamina is lanceolate-spathulate and reaches 12 cm in length and 4 cm in width. It usually has an acute apex and is gradually attenuate towards the base. Three longitudinal veins, which originate near the base of the lamina, are present on either side of the midrib. Pinnate veins are indistinct. Tendril
s may be up to 18 cm long. Their insertion at the end of the lamina is apical.
Rosette and lower pitchers are either infundibular in the lower third to half and ovoid above, or ovoid throughout. They reach 25 cm in height and 9 cm in width. A pair of fringed wings (≤15 mm wide) runs down the front of the pitcher. The glandular region covers the lower third to half of the inner surface. The glands are overarched and occur at a density of 400 to 1300 per square centimetre. The pitcher mouth is round and elongated into a wide neck. The peristome
is flattened, expanded, and up to 40 mm wide. A series of teeth (≤7 mm wide) line its inner margin. The peristome ribs are spaced 0.5 to 1.5 mm apart. Pitchers bear 14 to 18 longitudinal nerves across their height. The pitcher lid is ovate and usually has a hook-shaped appendage on the underside near the peristome. A branched spur
(≤5 mm long) is inserted near the base of the lid.
Upper pitchers arise abruptly from the ends of the tendrils, forming a 20 to 30 mm wide curve. They are cylindrical in the lower part and infundibular above. They reach 20 cm in length and 6 cm in width. The wings are reduced to ribs in aerial pitchers. The peristome is broadly cylindrical, up to 10 mm wide, and bears small but distinct teeth. The peristome ribs are spaced 0.5 to 1 mm apart. Upper pitchers also bear 14 to 18 longitudinal nerves. The mouth is horizontal and elongated into a short neck near the lid.
Nepenthes ovata has a racemose
inflorescence
. Female inflorescences are usually slightly larger than male ones. The peduncle
may be up to 7 cm long, while the rachis
reaches 10 cm in length. Pedicels
are bract
eolate and up to 5 mm long. Sepal
s are lanceolate and up to 3 mm long.
The stem, leaves, and pitchers have a sparse indumentum
. Inflorescences have a denser covering of hairs.
Lower pitchers are usually green to red with a dark red peristome. Upper pitchers are yellowish-green and often have a striped peristome.
, particularly in the Lake Toba
region. It grows in stunted mossy forest and ridge top vegetation, often among Sphagnum
moss. On Mount Pangulubao
, the species usually occurs terrestrially, while on Mount Lubukraya it often grows as an epiphyte
. It has also been recorded from Mount Simanukmanuk. The species has an altitudinal distribution of 1700 to 2100 m.
On Mount Pangulubao, N. ovata grows sympatrically with N. gymnamphora
(N. xiphioides), N. mikei
, N. rhombicaulis
, N. spectabilis
, and N. tobaica
. At another location it grows alongside N. flava
. Natural hybrids with all of these species except N. tobaica have been recorded.
Due to its restricted distribution, the conservation status
of N. ovata is listed as Vulnerable
on the 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
.
Nepenthes ovata is closely related to a number of other Sumatran highland species, including N. bongso
, N. densiflora
, and N. singalana
. Its distinguishing feature is the gland
ular appendage on the underside of the lid. This structure is usually hook-shaped, but may vary considerably in morphology.
Nepenthes ovata is thought to be most closesly related to N. bongso. The glandular crest that is so characteristic of N. ovata has also been observed in some forms of N. bongso. Charles Clarke
writes that he is "reluctant to distinguish N. ovata from [N. bongso] using this criterion only and [is] unable to suggest any other features that might serve this purpose". However, he retains N. ovata as a distinct species, noting that although the appendage may be present in N. bongso, this is rarely the case and even then it is usually less developed than in N. ovata.
Nepenthes ovata is also similar to N. densiflora
, with which it has been confused in the past. The two species can be reliably distinguished on the basis of the hook-shaped appendage, which is never present in N. densiflora. In addition, the lower pitchers of N. densiflora have an elongated neck that is far longer than the same structure in N. ovata. Furthermore, N. densiflora has differently shaped sepals in male and female flowers, whereas those of N. ovata are the same.
In their description of N. ovata, Andreas Wistuba
and Joachim Nerz
compared the species to N. singalana
. They noted that N. ovata differs in having an acuminate lamina apex, whereas N. singalana has a rounded apex. The two species also differ in the distribution of nectar glands on the underside of the lid. Nepenthes ovata has numerous glands near the midrib and is densely glandular near and on the hook-shaped appendage. In comparison, N. singalana is only sparsely glandular near the midrib and bears no glands near the lid apex.
Nepenthes rigidifolia
also bears some similarities to N. ovata, but can be distinguished on the basis of its thicker leaves, sub-apical tendril insertion, and mostly ovoid upper pitchers.
In their description of the Sumatra
n species N. naga
, the authors compared it to N. ovata. They distinguished it on the basis of its dichotomous lid appendage and frilled lid.
Nepenthes ovata × N. spectabilis
is known to occur along the summit trail of Mount Pangulubao. This hybrid produces pitchers roughly intermediate in appearance between its parent species. The peristome is flattened and expanded, but to a lesser degree than in N. ovata. The speckles of N. spectabilis are present, but the pitchers have a much lighter colouration. Most examples of this hybrid grow terrestrially and some climb into the forest canopy. N. ovata × N. rhombicaulis
has also been recorded from the mountain.
In addition, Bruce Salmon and Ricky Maulder found N. mikei
× N. ovata and N. gymnamphora
× N. ovata on Mount Pangulubao. Some authors consider N. xiphioides to be distinct from N. gymnamphora and so this hybrid is sometimes listed as N. ovata × N. xiphioides.
Andreas Wistuba
observed several natural hybrids with N. flava
, including N. flava × N. ovata. Most specimens were juvenile rosette plants.
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 Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
. The specific epithet ovata is Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
for "ovate" and refers to the shape of the lower pitchers.
Botanical history
Nepenthes ovata was first collected as early as November 1840 or 1841 by Franz Wilhelm JunghuhnFranz Wilhelm Junghuhn
Friedrich Franz Wilhelm Junghuhn , was a German botanist. His father, Friedrich Junghuhn was a barber and a surgeon. His mother was Christine Marie Schiele. Junghuhn studied medicine in Halle and in Berlin from 1827 to 1831, meanwhile publishing a seminal paper on mushrooms in Limnaea...
on Mount Lubukraya (Loeboekraja). Junghuhn collected two specimens at an elevation of 1990 m. Their growth habit is recorded as "in silvis cacuminis supremi scandens, repens", which means "in woods above peak creeping, climbing". One of the specimens, H.L.B. 908,155-870, was originally deposited at Herbarium Lugduno-Batavum in Leiden, while the other, H.A.R.T. 000252, was deposited at Herbarium Academicum Rheno-Traiectinum, the herbarium of the University of Utrecht. They are now held 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...
in Leiden. Both consist of male plant material.
The Nepenthaceae of the Netherlands Indies
"The Nepenthaceae of the Netherlands Indies" is a seminal monograph by B. H. Danser on the tropical pitcher plants of the Dutch East Indies, North Borneo, the Malay Peninsula, and eastern New Guinea...
", published in 1928, B. H. Danser
B. H. Danser
Benedictus Hubertus Danser , often abbreviated B. H. Danser, was a Dutch taxonomist and botanist...
referred the plant material collected by Junghuhn to N. bongso
Nepenthes bongso
Nepenthes bongso is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Sumatra, where it has an altitudinal distribution of 1000–2700 m above sea level. The specific epithet bongso refers to the Indonesian legend of Putri Bungsu , the spirit guardian of Mount Marapi.The species was formally described by Pieter...
. Danser also treated specimens of N. talangensis
Nepenthes talangensis
Nepenthes talangensis is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Sumatra, where it grows in upper montane forest at elevations of 1800–2500 m above sea level....
under this taxon
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...
.
These two species were again confused with N. bongso in a 1973 article on the Nepenthes of 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....
, Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
and Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
, authored by botanist Shigeo Kurata
Shigeo Kurata
is a Japanese botanist and Nepenthes taxonomist whose work in the 1960s and 1970s contributed much to the current popularity of these plants. Of particular note is his 1976 guide, Nepenthes of Mount Kinabalu....
.
In the 1983 book Carnivorous Plants of the World in Colour by Katsuhiko and Masahiro Kondo, a photograph of N. ovata is identified as N. pectinata. Many authors consider the latter to be conspecific with N. gymnamphora
Nepenthes gymnamphora
Nepenthes gymnamphora is a tropical pitcher plant native to the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra. There is much debate surrounding the taxonomic status of this species and the taxa N. pectinata and N. xiphioides....
. Either way, the species bears little resemblance to N. ovata.
Nepenthes ovata 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 1994 by Joachim Nerz
Joachim Nerz
Dr. Joachim Nerz is a taxonomist and botanist specialising in the carnivorous plant genera Heliamphora and Nepenthes. Nerz has described several new species, mostly with Andreas Wistuba.-Publications:...
and Andreas Wistuba
Andreas Wistuba
Dr. Andreas Wistuba is a German taxonomist and botanist specialising in the carnivorous plant genera Heliamphora and Nepenthes. More than half of all known Heliamphora species have been described by Wistuba.-Publications:...
. 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...
, Nerz 1601, was collected on March 16, 1989, on the west ridge of Mount Pangulubao
Mount Pangulubao
Mount Pangulubao or Pangulubau is a mountain near Lake Toba in Sumatra.Mount Pangulubao is notable for the relatively large number of tropical pitcher plant species that inhabit its forests. These include Nepenthes ampullaria, Nepenthes gymnamphora, Nepenthes mikei, Nepenthes ovata, Nepenthes...
at an altitude of 1800 m. It consists of a rosette with pitchers. Two other specimens were collected at the same time and location. Nerz 1602 includes a vine with pitchers and male flowers, while Nerz 1603 consists of a vine with male flowers. All three specimens are deposited 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...
in Leiden.
In their monograph "A skeletal revision of Nepenthes (Nepenthaceae)
A skeletal revision of Nepenthes (Nepenthaceae)
"A skeletal revision of Nepenthes " is a monograph by Matthew Jebb and Martin Cheek on the tropical pitcher plants of the genus Nepenthes. It was published in the May 1997 issue of the botanical journal Blumea. The work represented the first revision of the entire genus since John Muirhead...
", published 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,...
identified three specimens belonging to N. ovata as N. densiflora
Nepenthes densiflora
Nepenthes densiflora is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Sumatra, where it grows at an altitude of between 1700 and 3200 m above sea level.No forms or varieties of N. densiflora have been described.-Taxonomy:...
. One of these specimens, Frey-Wyssling 43, was collected on Mount Pangulubao at 1800 m, which is the type locality of N. ovata. It consists of an immature rosette and a lower pitcher. A second specimen, Frey-Wyssling 13, was collected in Dolok "Baros", also at 1800 m. Finally, Opperhout 27/11/1929 was taken on that date from the summit of Dolok Sempenan at 1600 m. It consists of a rosette and a lower pitcher with its lid missing. Despite this, it can be identified as belonging to N. ovata based on the structure of 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...
. All three specimens are deposited at the Bogor Botanical Gardens
Bogor Botanical Gardens
The Bogor Botanical Gardens are located 60 km south of the capital of Jakarta in Bogor, Indonesia. The botanical gardens are situated in the city center of Bogor and adjoin the Istana Bogor...
(formerly the Herbarium of the Buitenzorg Botanic Gardens) in Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
.
Two further specimens of N. ovata, Nepenthes Team (Hernawati, P. Akhriadi & I. Petra) NP 373 and 377, were collected on December 16, 2003, as part of a conservation expedition focusing on Nepenthes. They were taken from Mount Pangulubao at an altitude of between 1500 and 2100 m. Both are deposited at the herbarium of Andalas University
Andalas University
Andalas University is the oldest university in Indonesia outside of Java. The university consists of eleven faculties, with most located at the main campus Limau Manis, 12 km from the center of Padang, West Sumatra. This campus occupies 5 km², at an elevation of about 100 m. The Faculty...
in Padang
Padang, Indonesia
Padang is the capital and largest city of West Sumatra, Indonesia. It is located on the western coast of Sumatra at . It has an area of and a population of over 833,000 people at the 2010 Census.-History:...
, West Sumatra
West Sumatra
West Sumatra is a province of Indonesia. It lies on the west coast of the island Sumatra. It borders the provinces of North Sumatra to the north, Riau and Jambi to the east, and Bengkulu to the southeast. It includes the Mentawai Islands off the coast...
.
Description
Nepenthes ovata is a climbing plant. The stem grows to 5 m in length and 6 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 and up to 15 cm long.
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 up to 18 cm long. Their insertion at the end of the lamina is apical.
Rosette and lower pitchers are either infundibular in the lower third to half and ovoid above, or ovoid throughout. They reach 25 cm in height and 9 cm in width. A pair of fringed wings (≤15 mm wide) runs down the front of the pitcher. The glandular region covers the lower third to half of the inner surface. The glands are overarched and occur at a density of 400 to 1300 per square centimetre. The pitcher mouth is round and elongated into a wide neck. 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, expanded, and up to 40 mm wide. A series of teeth (≤7 mm wide) line its inner margin. The peristome ribs are spaced 0.5 to 1.5 mm apart. Pitchers bear 14 to 18 longitudinal nerves across their height. The pitcher lid is ovate and usually has a hook-shaped appendage on the underside near the peristome. A branched 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...
(≤5 mm long) is inserted near the base of the lid.
Nepenthes ovata 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...
. Female inflorescences are usually slightly larger than male ones. 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...
may be up to 7 cm long, while 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...
reaches 10 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 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...
eolate and up to 5 mm long. 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 and up to 3 mm long.
The stem, leaves, and pitchers have a sparse 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...
. Inflorescences have a denser covering of hairs.
Lower pitchers are usually green to red with a dark red peristome. Upper pitchers are yellowish-green and often have a striped peristome.
Ecology
Nepenthes ovata is endemic to a number of mountains in North SumatraNorth Sumatra
North Sumatra is a province of Indonesia on the Sumatra island. Its capital is Medan. It is the most populous Indonesian province outside of Java. It is slightly larger than Sri Lanka in area.- Geography and population :...
, particularly in the Lake Toba
Lake Toba
Lake Toba is a lake and supervolcano. The lake is 100 kilometres long and 30 kilometres wide, and 505 metres at its deepest point. Located in the middle of the northern part of the Indonesian island of Sumatra with a surface elevation of about , the lake stretches from to...
region. It grows in stunted mossy forest and ridge top vegetation, often among Sphagnum
Sphagnum
Sphagnum is a genus of between 151 and 350 species of mosses commonly called peat moss, due to its prevalence in peat bogs and mires. A distinction is made between sphagnum moss, the live moss growing on top of a peat bog on one hand, and sphagnum peat moss or sphagnum peat on the other, the...
moss. On Mount Pangulubao
Mount Pangulubao
Mount Pangulubao or Pangulubau is a mountain near Lake Toba in Sumatra.Mount Pangulubao is notable for the relatively large number of tropical pitcher plant species that inhabit its forests. These include Nepenthes ampullaria, Nepenthes gymnamphora, Nepenthes mikei, Nepenthes ovata, Nepenthes...
, the species usually occurs terrestrially, while on Mount Lubukraya it often grows 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...
. It has also been recorded from Mount Simanukmanuk. The species has an altitudinal distribution of 1700 to 2100 m.
Nepenthes gymnamphora
Nepenthes gymnamphora is a tropical pitcher plant native to the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra. There is much debate surrounding the taxonomic status of this species and the taxa N. pectinata and N. xiphioides....
(N. xiphioides), N. mikei
Nepenthes mikei
Nepenthes mikei is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Sumatra. It is characterised by its black mottled lower and upper pitchers. The species is closely related to N. angasanensis and N. tobaica....
, N. rhombicaulis
Nepenthes rhombicaulis
Nepenthes rhombicaulis is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Sumatra. The specific epithet rhombicaulis is formed from the Latin words rhombicus, meaning "rhomboid", and caulis, "stem"...
, N. spectabilis
Nepenthes spectabilis
Nepenthes spectabilis is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Sumatra, where it grows at elevations of between 1400 and 2200 m above sea level. The specific epithet spectabilis is Latin for "visible" or "notable".-Botanical history:...
, and N. tobaica
Nepenthes tobaica
Nepenthes tobaica is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Sumatra. It is particularly abundant around Lake Toba, after which it is named....
. At another location it grows alongside N. flava
Nepenthes flava
Nepenthes flava is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to northern Sumatra, where it grows in montane forest at 1800–2200 m above sea level....
. Natural hybrids with all of these species except N. tobaica have been recorded.
Due to its restricted distribution, 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. ovata 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...
.
Related species
Nepenthes bongso
Nepenthes bongso is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Sumatra, where it has an altitudinal distribution of 1000–2700 m above sea level. The specific epithet bongso refers to the Indonesian legend of Putri Bungsu , the spirit guardian of Mount Marapi.The species was formally described by Pieter...
, N. densiflora
Nepenthes densiflora
Nepenthes densiflora is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Sumatra, where it grows at an altitude of between 1700 and 3200 m above sea level.No forms or varieties of N. densiflora have been described.-Taxonomy:...
, and N. singalana
Nepenthes singalana
Nepenthes singalana is a highland Nepenthes pitcher plant species native to the island of Sumatra. It is most closely related to N. diatas and N. spathulata.-Taxonomy:...
. Its distinguishing feature is the 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 appendage on the underside of the lid. This structure is usually hook-shaped, but may vary considerably in morphology.
Nepenthes ovata is thought to be most closesly related to N. bongso. The glandular crest that is so characteristic of N. ovata has also been observed in some forms of N. bongso. 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 he is "reluctant to distinguish N. ovata from [N. bongso] using this criterion only and [is] unable to suggest any other features that might serve this purpose". However, he retains N. ovata as a distinct species, noting that although the appendage may be present in N. bongso, this is rarely the case and even then it is usually less developed than in N. ovata.
Nepenthes ovata is also similar to N. densiflora
Nepenthes densiflora
Nepenthes densiflora is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Sumatra, where it grows at an altitude of between 1700 and 3200 m above sea level.No forms or varieties of N. densiflora have been described.-Taxonomy:...
, with which it has been confused in the past. The two species can be reliably distinguished on the basis of the hook-shaped appendage, which is never present in N. densiflora. In addition, the lower pitchers of N. densiflora have an elongated neck that is far longer than the same structure in N. ovata. Furthermore, N. densiflora has differently shaped sepals in male and female flowers, whereas those of N. ovata are the same.
In their description of N. ovata, Andreas Wistuba
Andreas Wistuba
Dr. Andreas Wistuba is a German taxonomist and botanist specialising in the carnivorous plant genera Heliamphora and Nepenthes. More than half of all known Heliamphora species have been described by Wistuba.-Publications:...
and Joachim Nerz
Joachim Nerz
Dr. Joachim Nerz is a taxonomist and botanist specialising in the carnivorous plant genera Heliamphora and Nepenthes. Nerz has described several new species, mostly with Andreas Wistuba.-Publications:...
compared the species to N. singalana
Nepenthes singalana
Nepenthes singalana is a highland Nepenthes pitcher plant species native to the island of Sumatra. It is most closely related to N. diatas and N. spathulata.-Taxonomy:...
. They noted that N. ovata differs in having an acuminate lamina apex, whereas N. singalana has a rounded apex. The two species also differ in the distribution of nectar glands on the underside of the lid. Nepenthes ovata has numerous glands near the midrib and is densely glandular near and on the hook-shaped appendage. In comparison, N. singalana is only sparsely glandular near the midrib and bears no glands near the lid apex.
Nepenthes rigidifolia
Nepenthes rigidifolia
Nepenthes rigidifolia is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Sumatra, where it grows at elevations of 1000–1600 m above sea level.The specific epithet rigidifolia is formed from the Latin words rigidus and folia . It refers to the stiff, coriaceous texture of the leaf blade...
also bears some similarities to N. ovata, but can be distinguished on the basis of its thicker leaves, sub-apical tendril insertion, and mostly ovoid upper pitchers.
In their description of the Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
n species N. naga
Nepenthes naga
Nepenthes naga is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to the Barisan Mountains of Sumatra. It is characterised by a forked sub-apical appendage on the underside of the lid and an undulate lid margin. The specific epithet naga is the Indonesian word for "dragon" and refers to the distinctive lid...
, the authors compared it to N. ovata. They distinguished it on the basis of its dichotomous lid appendage and frilled lid.
Natural hybrids
In the wild, N. ovata occurs sympatrically with a number of different Nepenthes species. At least five natural hybrids involving N. ovata has been recorded, four of which are found on Mount Pangulubao.Nepenthes ovata × N. spectabilis
Nepenthes spectabilis
Nepenthes spectabilis is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Sumatra, where it grows at elevations of between 1400 and 2200 m above sea level. The specific epithet spectabilis is Latin for "visible" or "notable".-Botanical history:...
is known to occur along the summit trail of Mount Pangulubao. This hybrid produces pitchers roughly intermediate in appearance between its parent species. The peristome is flattened and expanded, but to a lesser degree than in N. ovata. The speckles of N. spectabilis are present, but the pitchers have a much lighter colouration. Most examples of this hybrid grow terrestrially and some climb into the forest canopy. N. ovata × N. rhombicaulis
Nepenthes rhombicaulis
Nepenthes rhombicaulis is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Sumatra. The specific epithet rhombicaulis is formed from the Latin words rhombicus, meaning "rhomboid", and caulis, "stem"...
has also been recorded from the mountain.
In addition, Bruce Salmon and Ricky Maulder found N. mikei
Nepenthes mikei
Nepenthes mikei is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Sumatra. It is characterised by its black mottled lower and upper pitchers. The species is closely related to N. angasanensis and N. tobaica....
× N. ovata and N. gymnamphora
Nepenthes gymnamphora
Nepenthes gymnamphora is a tropical pitcher plant native to the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra. There is much debate surrounding the taxonomic status of this species and the taxa N. pectinata and N. xiphioides....
× N. ovata on Mount Pangulubao. Some authors consider N. xiphioides to be distinct from N. gymnamphora and so this hybrid is sometimes listed as N. ovata × N. xiphioides.
Andreas Wistuba
Andreas Wistuba
Dr. Andreas Wistuba is a German taxonomist and botanist specialising in the carnivorous plant genera Heliamphora and Nepenthes. More than half of all known Heliamphora species have been described by Wistuba.-Publications:...
observed several natural hybrids with N. flava
Nepenthes flava
Nepenthes flava is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to northern Sumatra, where it grows in montane forest at 1800–2200 m above sea level....
, including N. flava × N. ovata. Most specimens were juvenile rosette plants.