Nepenthes gracilis

Nepenthes gracilis
A pitcher of Nepenthes gracilis from Terengganu, Peninsular Malaysia
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 2.3)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Core eudicots
Order:	Caryophyllales
Family:	Nepenthaceae
Genus:	Nepenthes
Species:	N. gracilis
Binomial name
Nepenthes gracilis Korth. (1839)
Synonyms
Synonyms Nepenthes angustifolia Mast. (1881) Nepenthes distillatoria auct. non L.: Jack (1835) Nepenthes distillatoria auct. non L.: Wall. (1828) [=N. distillatoria/N. gracilis] Nepenthes korthalsiana Miq. (1858) Nepenthes laevis Lindl. (1848) Nepenthes laevis Korth. ex Hook.f. in DC. (1873) Nepenthes longinodis G.Beck (1895)[1] Nepenthes obrieniana Linden & Rodigas (1890) nom.ambiguum [=?N. gracilis × N. rafflesiana × N. hirsuta × N. distillatoria/N. gracilis/N. mirabilis] Nepenthes teysmanniana Miq. (1858) [=N. albomarginata/N. gracilis]

Nepenthes gracilis (pronounced /nɨˈpɛnθiːz ˈɡræsɨlɪs/, from Latin: gracilis "slender"), or the Slender Pitcher-Plant,^[2] is a very common lowland pitcher plant that is widespread in the Sunda region. It has been recorded from Borneo, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, central Sulawesi, Sumatra, and southernmost Thailand.^[3] The species has a wide altitudinal distribution of 0–1700 m above sea level, although most populations are found below 100 m and plants are rare above 1000 m.^[4]

The pitchers of N. gracilis are relatively unremarkable with a very thin peristome and no unusual morphological features. Despite being a widespread plant, natural hybrids between N. gracilis and other species are quite rare.

Nepenthes gracilis was formally described by Pieter Willem Korthals in his 1839 monograph, "Over het geslacht Nepenthes".^[5]

Taxonomy

In 2001, Charles Clarke performed a cladistic analysis of the Nepenthes species of Sumatra and Peninsular Malaysia using 70 morphological characteristics of each taxon. The following is a portion of the resultant cladogram, showing part of "Clade 6". The sister pair of N. angasanensis and N. mikei has 79% support.^[6]

	unnamed N. gracilis N. reinwardtiana unnamed N. tobaica      79% N. angasanensis N. mikei

Infraspecific taxa

Despite varying little across its range,^[6] N. gracilis has a number of infraspecific taxa. Most of these are no longer considered valid.

• Nepenthes gracilis f. angustifolia (Mast.) Hort.Westphal (1993)
• Nepenthes gracilis var. angustifolia (Mast.) Hort.Weiner in sched. (1985)
• Nepenthes gracilis var. arenaria Ridl. ex Macf. (1908)
• Nepenthes gracilis var. elongata Bl. (1852)
• Nepenthes gracilis var. longinodis G.Beck (1895)^[1]
• Nepenthes gracilis var. major Hort.Lindsay ex Dixon (1889)
• Nepenthes gracilis var. teysmanniana (Miq.) Beck (1895)^[1]

Natural hybrids

The following natural hybrids involving N. gracilis have been recorded.

• N. albomarginata × N. gracilis
• N. ampullaria × N. gracilis [=N. × trichocarpa]^[7]
• (N. ampullaria × N. gracilis) × N. bicalcarata [=N. × trichocarpa × N. bicalcarata]
• N. bicalcarata × N. gracilis [=N. × cantleyi]^[7]
• ? N. eustachya × N. gracilis^[3]
• N. gracilis × N. mirabilis [=N. × sharifah-hapsahii, N. × ghazallyana, N. × grabilis, N. neglecta?]^[3][7]
• N. gracilis × N. northiana [=N. × bauensis]^[8]
• N. gracilis × N. rafflesiana^[7][9]
• N. gracilis × N. reinwardtiana^[6]
• N. gracilis × N. sumatrana^[3]

• 

  N. albomarginata × N. gracilis

• 

  N. ampullaria × N. gracilis

• 

  N. bicalcarata × N. gracilis

• 

  ? N. eustachya × N. gracilis

• 

  N. gracilis × N. mirabilis

• 

  N. gracilis × N. northiana

• 

  N. gracilis × N. rafflesiana

• 

  N. gracilis × N. sumatrana

References

Nepenthes gracilis habitat in Pahang, Peninsular Malaysia

1. ^ ^{a b c} (German) Beck, G. 1895. Die Gattung Nepenthes. Wiener Illustrirte Garten-Zeitung 20(3–6): 96–107, 141–150, 182–192, 217–229.
2. ^ Phillipps, A. & A. Lamb 1996. Pitcher-Plants of Borneo. Natural History Publications (Borneo), Kota Kinabalu.
3. ^ ^{a b c d} McPherson, S.R. 2009. Pitcher Plants of the Old World. 2 volumes. Redfern Natural History Productions, Poole.
4. ^ Adam, J.H., C.C. Wilcock & M.D. Swaine 1992. The ecology and distribution of Bornean Nepenthes.PDF Journal of Tropical Forest Science 5(1): 13–25.
5. ^ Korthals, P.W. 1839. Over het geslacht Nepenthes. In: C.J. Temminck 1839–1842. Verhandelingen over de Natuurlijke Geschiedenis der Nederlandsche overzeesche bezittingen; Kruidkunde. Leiden. pp. 1–44, t. 1–4, 13–15, 20–22.
6. ^ ^{a b c} Clarke, C.M. 2001. Nepenthes of Sumatra and Peninsular Malaysia. Natural History Publications (Borneo), Kota Kinabalu.
7. ^ ^{a b c d} Clarke, C.M. 1997. Nepenthes of Borneo. Natural History Publications (Borneo), Kota Kinabalu.
8. ^ Lee, C.C. 2004. Nepenthes. In: Sarawak Bau Limestone Biodiversity. H.S. Yong, F.S.P. Ng and E.E.L. Yen (eds). The Sarawak Museum Journal Vol. LIX, No. 80; Special Issue No. 6: 71–77.
9. ^ Tan, W.K., C.L. Wong & C.K. Frazier 1996. Nepenthes × (rafflesiana and gracilis)? Nature Malaysiana 21: 82–85.

Further reading

• Adam, J.H. 1997. Prey spectra of Bornean Nepenthes species (Nepenthaceae) in relation to their habitat.PDF Pertanika Journal of Tropical Agricultural Science 20(2–3): 121–134.
• Adam, J.H. & C.C. Wilcock 1999. Palynological study of Bornean Nepenthes (Nepenthaceae).PDF Pertanika Journal of Tropical Agricultural Science 22(1): 1–7.
• Adam, J. H., R. Omar & C. C. Wilcock 2002. Phytochemical Screening of Flavonoids in Three Hybrids of Nepenthes (Nepenthaceae) and their Putative Parental Species from Sarawak and Sabah.PDF OnLine Journal of Biological Sciences 2(9): 623–625. doi:10.3923/jbs.2002.623.625
• Adam, J.H., E.M. Nurulhuda, H. Abdul-Halim, O. Abdul-Rahim, A.H. Hafiza, G.K. Gopir, L.M. Pilik, R. Omar, M.B. Qasim, J. Salimon, S. Abdul-Rahim & M.M. Hanafiah 2005. Pitcher plants recorded from BRIS forest in Jambu Bongkok, Kuala Trengganu, Malaysia. Wetland Science 3(3): 183–189.
• Athauda, S.B.P., K. Matsumoto, S. Rajapakshe, M. Kuribayashi, M. Kojima, N. Kubomura-Yoshida, A. Iwamatsu, C. Shibata, H. Inoue & K. Takahashi 2004. Enzymatic and structural characterization of nepenthesin, a unique member of a novel subfamily of aspartic proteinases.PDF (1.32 MiB) (manuscript BJ20031575) Biochemical Journal 381(1): 295–306. doi:10.1042/BJ20031575
• Aung, H.H., L.S. Chia, N.K. Goh, T.F. Chia, A.A. Ahmed, P.W. Pare & T.J. Mabry 2002. Phenolic constituents from the leaves of the carnivorous plant Nepenthes gracilis. Fitoterapia 73(5): 445–447. PubMed doi:10.1016/S0367-326X(02)00113-2
• Beaman, J.H. & C. Anderson 2004. The Plants of Mount Kinabalu: 5. Dicotyledon Families Magnoliaceae to Winteraceae. Natural History Publications (Borneo), Kota Kinabalu.
• Bonhomme, V., H. Pelloux-Prayer, E. Jousselin, Y. Forterre, J.-J. Labat & L. Gaume 2011. Slippery or sticky? Functional diversity in the trapping strategy of Nepenthes carnivorous plants. New Phytologist 191(2): 545–554. doi:10.1111/j.1469-8137.2011.03696.x
• Clarke, C.M., R. Cantley, J. Nerz, H. Rischer & A. Witsuba (2000). Nepenthes gracilis. 2006. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. www.iucnredlist.org. Retrieved on 10 May 2006.
• Fan, D.-H., H. Wang, D. Zhi & Y.-M. Shen 2010. CE analysis of endogenous flavonoid gallate esters from Nepenthes gracilis (Nepenthaceae). Chromatographia 72(9–10): 1013–1016. doi:10.1365/s10337-010-1729-0
• Fashing, N.J. 2010. Two novel adaptations for dispersal in the mite family Histiostomatidae (Astigmata).PDF In: M.W. Sabelis & J. Bruin (eds.) Trends in Acarology: Proceedings of the 12th International Congress. Springer Science, Dordrecht. pp. 81–84. doi:10.1007/978-90-481-9837-5
• (Indonesian) Handayani, T. 1999. Konservasi Nepenthes di kebun raya Indonesia.PDF [Conservation of Nepenthes in Indonesian botanic gardens.] In: A. Mardiastuti, I. Sudirman, K.G. Wiryawan, L.I. Sudirman, M.P. Tampubolon, R. Megia & Y. Lestari (eds.) Prosiding II: Seminar Hasil-Hasil Penelitian Bidang Ilmu Hayat. Pusat Antar Universitas Ilmu Hayat IPB, Bogor. pp. 365–372.
• (Indonesian) Harahap, A.S. 2010. Mikropropogasi tunas kantong semar (Nepenthes gracillis Korth.) dengan pemberian NAA dan BAP secara in vitro. Student paper, University of North Sumatra, Medan.
• Hernawati & P. Akhriadi 2006. A Field Guide to the Nepenthes of Sumatra. PILI-NGO Movement, Bogor.
• Kato, M. 1993. Floral biology of Nepenthes gracilis (Nepenthaceae) in Sumatra. American Journal of Botany 80(8): 924–927. doi:10.2307/2445512
• Lam, S.Y. 1982. Tripteroides aranoides (Theobald) in two pitcher plants, Nepenthes ampullaria Jack and N. gracilis Korth., at Kent Ridge (Diptera: Culicidae). B.Sc (Hons.) Thesis, National University of Singapore.
• Lim, A.L. & N. Prakash 1973. Life history of Nepenthes gracilis. Malaysian Journal of Science 2(A): 45–53.
• Ma Hnin Hnin Aung 2004. Phenolic compounds from Nepenthes gracilis Korth: isolation, identification and antioxidant studies. Ph.D. thesis, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
• (Indonesian) Mansur, M. 2001. Koleksi Nepenthes di Herbarium Bogoriense: prospeknya sebagai tanaman hias.PDF In: Prosiding Seminar Hari Cinta Puspa dan Satwa Nasional. Lembaga Ilmu Pengetahuan Indonesia, Bogor. pp. 244–253.
• Mogi, M. & K.L. Chan 1997. Variation in communities of dipterans in Nepenthes pitchers in Singapore: Predators increase prey community diversity. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 90(2): 177–183.
• Mokkamul, P., A. Chaveerach, R. Sudmoon & T. Tanee 2007. Species Identification and Sex Determination of the Genus Nepenthes (Nepenthaceae). Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences 10(4): 561–567. doi:10.3923/pjbs.2007.561.567
• Moran, J.A., W.E. Booth & J.K. Charles 1999. Aspects of Pitcher Morphology and Spectral Characteristics of Six Bornean Nepenthes Pitcher Plant Species: Implications for Prey Capture.PDF Annals of Botany 83: 521–528.
• Normawati, Y. 2002. The effect of stem length on pitcher and inflorescence production in Nepenthes gracilis and Nepenthes mirabilis at Serendah Selangor. B.Sc. Thesis. Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.
• (Indonesian) Puspitaningtyas, D.M. & H. Wawangningrum 2007. Keanekaragaman Nepenthes di Suaka Alam Sulasih Talang - Sumatera Barat.PDF [Nepenthes diversity in Sulasih Talang Nature Reserve - West Sumatra.] Biodiversitas 8(2): 152–156.
• Russell, C. & E. Ossian 1990. Opportunistic feeding involving the pitcher plants Nepenthes hirsuta, Nepenthes gracilis and the epiphytic orchid Schomburgkia tibicinis, or natural ant eradication, the rube goldberg method. The Orchid Digest 54(4): 182–184.
• Shivas, R.G. 1984. Pitcher Plants of Peninsular Malaysia & Singapore. Maruzen Asia, Kuala Lumpur.
• Siegara, A. & Yogiara 2009. Bacterial community profiles in the fluid of four pitcher plant species (Nepenthes spp.) grown in a nursery. Microbiology Indonesia 3(3): 109–114.
• Takahashi, K., S.B.P. Athauda, K. Matsumoto, S. Rajapakshe, M. Kuribayashi, M. Kojima, N. Kubomura-Yoshida, A. Iwamatsu, C. Shibata & H. Inoue 2005. Nepenthesin, a unique member of a novel subfamily of aspartic proteinases: enzymatic and structural characteristics. Current Protein and Peptide Science 6(6): 513–525. doi:10.2174/138920305774933259
• Tan, S. 2006. Development of capillary electrophoresis techniques for plant natural products analyses. M.Sc. thesis, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
• Teo, L.L. 2001. Study of natural hybridisation in some tropical plants using amplified fragment length polymorphism analysis. M.Sc. thesis, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
• Thorogood, C. 2010. The Malaysian Nepenthes: Evolutionary and Taxonomic Perspectives. Nova Science Publishers, New York.
• (Czech) Toufar, P. 1996. Ještě jednou k Nepenthes gracilis. Trifid 1996(2): 6–7. (page 2)

v · d · e

Nepenthes (list)

Species

N. adnata N. alata N. alba N. albomarginata N. ampullaria N. andamana N. angasanensis N. argentii N. aristolochioides N. attenboroughii N. beccariana N. bellii N. benstonei N. bicalcarata N. bokorensis N. bongso N. boschiana N. burbidgeae N. burkei N. campanulata N. ceciliae N. chang

N. chaniana N. clipeata N. copelandii N. danseri N. deaniana N. densiflora N. diatas N. distillatoria N. dubia N. edwardsiana N. ephippiata N. eustachya N. eymae N. faizaliana N. flava N. fusca N. gantungensis N. glabrata N. glandulifera N. gracilis N. gracillima N. gymnamphora

N. hamata N. hamiguitanensis N. hirsuta N. hispida N. holdenii N. hurrelliana N. inermis N. insignis N. izumiae N. jacquelineae N. jamban N. junghuhnii N. kampotiana N. kerrii N. khasiana N. klossii N. kongkandana N. lamii N. lavicola N. leonardoi N. lingulata N. longifolia

N. lowii N. macfarlanei N. macrophylla N. macrovulgaris N. madagascariensis N. mantalingajanensis N. mapuluensis N. masoalensis N. maxima N. merrilliana N. micramphora N. mikei N. mindanaoensis N. mira N. mirabilis N. mollis N. muluensis N. murudensis N. naga N. neoguineensis N. northiana N. ovata

N. palawanensis N. paniculata N. papuana N. peltata N. pervillei N. petiolata N. philippinensis N. pilosa N. pitopangii N. platychila N. pulchra N. rafflesiana N. rajah N. ramispina N. reinwardtiana N. rhombicaulis N. rigidifolia N. rowanae N. sanguinea N. saranganiensis N. sibuyanensis N. singalana

N. smilesii N. spathulata N. spectabilis N. stenophylla N. sumatrana N. suratensis N. surigaoensis N. talangensis N. tenax N. tentaculata N. tenuis N. thai N. thorelii N. tobaica N. tomoriana N. treubiana N. truncata N. veitchii N. ventricosa N. vieillardii N. villosa N. vogelii

Incompletely diagnosed taxa: N. sp. Misool • N. sp. Papua • N. sp. Sulawesi
Possible extinct species: N. echinatus • N. echinosporus • N. major

Natural hybrids

N. × alisaputrana N. × bauensis N. × cantleyi N. × cincta

N. × ferrugineomarginata N. × harryana N. × hookeriana N. × kinabaluensis

N. × kuchingensis N. × merrilliata N. × mirabilata N. × pangulubauensis

N. × pyriformis N. × sarawakiensis N. × sharifah-hapsahii N. × trichocarpa

N. × truncalata N. × trusmadiensis N. × tsangoya N. × ventrata

Related topics

Nepenthes taxonomy • Nepenthes infauna • Nepenthes species by distribution • Nepenthes cultivars • Nepenthes literature
Nepenthesin • Nepenthales