- Nepenthes micramphora
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Nepenthes micramphora 
A rosette plant of Nepenthes micramphora with lower/intermediate pitchers Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae (unranked): Angiosperms (unranked): Eudicots (unranked): Core eudicots Order: Caryophyllales Family: Nepenthaceae Genus: Nepenthes Species: N. micramphora Binomial name Nepenthes micramphora
V.B.Heinrich, S.McPherson, Gronem. & V.B.Amoroso (2009)[1]Nepenthes micramphora is a tropical pitcher plant known only from Mount Hamiguitan on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines.[1] It is a highland plant growing at elevations of 1100–1635 m.[1]
The specific epithet micramphora is derived from the Greek mikros (small) and Latin amphora (urn), and references the tiny pitchers of this species.[2]
Contents
Botanical history
Nepenthes micramphora was formally described in 2009 by Volker Heinrich, Stewart McPherson, Thomas Gronemeyer, and Victor Amoroso. The description was published in the second volume of McPherson's Pitcher Plants of the Old World.[1] The herbarium specimen V.Amoroso & R.Aspiras CMUH 00003545 is the designated holotype, and is deposited at the Central Mindanao University Herbarium in Musuan, Bukidnon, the Philippines.[1] It was collected on January 31, 2005, from Mount Hamiguitan, on the trail from San Isidro, at an altitude of 1300–1600 m.[1]
Inflorescence measurements for the formal description were taken by Volker Heinrich at the type locality on July 22, 2008, since herbarium material of the floral structures could not be located.[1]
Description
Nepenthes micramphora is a climbing plant growing to a height of 2.5 m.[3] The stem is circular in cross section and up to 3.5 mm in diameter, with internodes up to 15 mm long.[1]
A typical upper pitcher
Leaves are sessile and coriaceous in texture. The lamina (leaf blade) is lanceolate-elliptic in shape and reaches 8 cm in length by 1 cm in width. The lamina has an acute apex and is shortly attenuate at the base, clasping the stem for approximately one-third of its circumference. It is not decurrent down the stem. Two to three longitudinal veins are present on either side of the midrib, while pinnate veins are numerous. Tendrils are up to 7.5 cm long and 1 mm wide.[1]
Rosette and lower pitchers are narrowly ovate in the basal portion and cylindrical or sometimes slightly infundibular above.[2] They are very small, reaching only 4.1 cm in height by 1.6 cm in width. A pair of wings (≤4 mm wide) typically runs down the ventral surface of the pitcher cup, although these may be reduced to ribs.[2] The wings bear fringe elements measuring around 3 mm and spaced 2.5–3 mm apart. Only the basal third of the interior surface of the pitcher is glandular. The peristome is cylindrical and up to 0.8 mm wide, bearing ribs up to 0.1 mm high and spaced 0.1 mm apart.[2] The pitcher lid or operculum may be elliptic, ovate, or orbicular, and generally has a cordate base.[2] The lid lacks appendages[2] and measures up to 2 cm in length by 1.8 cm in width, being slightly wider than the pitcher mouth. A branched or divided[2] spur (≤3 mm long) is inserted near the base of the lid.[1]
A rosette plant with a bright red stemUpper pitchers are produced from an early age.[2] They may be infundibular throughout[1] or narrowly infundibular in their basal part, becoming narrower and roughly cylindrical above.[2] Aerial pitchers are larger than their terrestrial counterparts, growing to 6.7 cm in height by 2 cm in width (although more often around 4 cm by 1.7 cm).[2] The pitcher lid is of the same width as the mouth. Wings are always reduced to ribs.[2] In other respects, upper pitchers are similar to the lower traps.[1]
Nepenthes micramphora has a racemose inflorescence measuring up to 35 cm in length by 6 mm in width. The peduncle itself may be up to 8 cm long and 1 mm wide. Flowers are borne on one-flowered, non-bracteate pedicels (3–4 mm long), of which there are between 20 and 40 on the inflorescence. The ovate tepals measure up to 2.5 mm in length by 1.2 mm in width. Fruits are up to 20 mm long.[1]
The stem, lamina, and pitchers are glabrous. An inconspicuous indumentum of simple, rusty brown hairs (0.1 mm long) covers the inflorescence.[1]
Ecology
Nepenthes micramphora has only been recorded from the highland slopes of Mount Hamiguitan on the Philippine island of Mindanao. Much of the surrounding region has not been explored for Nepenthes, suggesting that this species may be present in other parts of southern Mindanao.[2] Its altitudinal distribution extends from 1100 m above sea level to the summit at 1635 m.[1]
A stunted tree growing in the Bonsai Forest of Mount HamiguitanThis species grows terrestrially in a wide range of habitats, including upper montane mossy forest, secondary vegetation, ridge tops, cliff sides, and landslides.[2] It has also been recorded at the margins of montane forest around the so-called Bonsai Forest,[1] which is named for its stunted trees. The species is restricted to ultramafic substrates. While N. micramphora tolerates shady conditions, it grows best under direct sunlight.[2] On Mount Hamiguitan, N. micramphora is sympatric with N. alata, N. mindanaoensis, and N. peltata,[1] and grows in the same altitudinal range as N. hamiguitanensis.[3] Despite this, no natural hybrids have been observed with certainty.
In his 2009 book, Pitcher Plants of the Old World, Stewart McPherson writes that N. micramphora is "not currently threatened" owing to its extensive populations on Mount Hamiguitan and the fact that visitors are only permitted to climb the mountain with the assistance of a guide.[2] The future of wild populations of N. micramphora will be further secured if provincial officials of Davao Oriental are successful in their bid to gain recognition of Mount Hamiguitan as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.[2][4]
Related species
Nepenthes micramphora is very similar to N. bellii of northern Mindanao in terms of the morphology of its stem, lamina, and inflorescence. However, the former is smaller in all respects and can be distinguished on the basis of its pitchers, which differ markedly in shape, size, peristome width, and tendril length. Nepenthes micramphora also produces a greater abundance of pitchers on its rosettes — up to 7 live traps have been recorded at any one time.[1]
Nepenthes gracilis also bears a superficial resemblance to N. micramphora in the size and shape of its leaves, but this species is absent from the Philippines.[2]
Natural hybrids
Nepenthes micramphora has no confirmed natural hybrids, although certain plants from Mount Hamiguitan may represent crosses involving it and N. hamiguitanensis, N. mindanaoensis, and N. peltata.[5] Plants that were originally thought to represent a natural hybrid between N. micramphora and N. peltata[2] are now recognised as belonging to a distinct species of possible hybridogenic origin, N. hamiguitanensis.[3]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Heinrich, V., S.R. McPherson, T. Gronemeyer & V.B. Amoroso 2009. Nepenthes micramphora (Nepenthaceae), a new species of Nepenthes L. from southern Mindanao, Philippines. In: S.R. McPherson Pitcher Plants of the Old World. Volume 2. Redfern Natural History Productions, Poole. pp. 1314–1319.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r McPherson, S.R. 2009. Nepenthes micramphora V.Heinrich, S.McPherson, Gronemeyer & Amoroso. In: S.R. McPherson Pitcher Plants of the Old World. Volume 2. Redfern Natural History Productions, Poole. pp. 713–719.
- ^ a b c Gronemeyer, T., A. Wistuba, V. Heinrich, S. McPherson, F. Mey & A. Amoroso 2010. Nepenthes hamiguitanensis (Nepenthaceae), a new pitcher plant species from Mindanao Island, Philippines. In: S.R. McPherson Carnivorous Plants and their Habitats. Volume 2. Redfern Natural History Productions, Poole. pp. 1296–1305.
- ^ UNESCO National Commission of the Philippines 2008. Mount Apo and Mount Hamiguitan: Sanctuaries of Endemism in Mindanao. UNESCO.
- ^ McPherson, S.R. & V.B. Amoroso 2011. Field Guide to the Pitcher Plants of the Philippines. Redfern Natural History Productions, Poole.
- Amoroso, V.B. & R.A. Aspiras 2011. Hamiguitan Range: a sanctuary for native flora. Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences 18(1): 7–15. doi:10.1016/j.sjbs.2010.07.003
External links
Incompletely diagnosed taxa: N. sp. Misool • N. sp. Papua • N. sp. Sulawesi
Possible extinct species: N. echinatus • N. echinosporus • N. majorCategories:- Carnivorous plants of Asia
- Nepenthes
- Flora of the Philippines
- Plants described in 2009
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