Nepenthes mirabilis
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 Nepenthes mirabilis. Palau.
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| Nepenthes mirabilis (Lour.) Druce (1916) |
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 Distribution of N. mirabilis.
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Nepenthes mirabilis (Latin: mirabilis = wonderful) is a tropical carnivorous plant species of the pitfall trap variety. It has by far the widest distribution of any Nepenthes species and is known from the following countries and regions: Borneo, Sumatra, Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Sulawesi, Maluku Islands, Myanmar, Cambodia, New Guinea, Australia, Philippines, Indochina, China, Hong Kong, Micronesia, Macau, and Palau. It also exhibits great variabiliy with the most forms and varieties of any species in the genus, the most notable of which is N. mirabilis var. echinostoma, a rare variety endemic to Brunei and Sarawak that possesses an extremely wide peristome.[1]
In Hong Kong, it is a protected species under Forestry Regulations Cap. 96A.
According to Matthew Jebb and Martin Cheek, the pitchers of N. mirabilis are used as toy phallocrypts in New Guinea.
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[edit] Taxonomy
N. mirabilis is closely related to N. rowanae and N. tenax, the only two Nepenthes species endemic to Australia.
| Character | N. mirabilis | N. rowanae |
|---|---|---|
| Morphology of leaf blade | Acute to rounded | Contracted towards the apex, then continuing along the tendril as a narrow, acute, extension |
| Insertion of tendril to leaf blade | Simple | Peltate |
| Pitcher wings | Simple, bearing multicellular fringe elements | Often flattened at front, forming a T-shape in XS, multicellular fringe elements often present |
| Leaf blade texture | Usually chartaceous | Strongly coriaceous |
| Leaf blade attachment to stem | Simple, or rarely decurrent for ⅓ the length of the internode | Decurrent for at least ½ the length of the internode, usually more |
| Gland density in lower portion of pitcher | 1600-2500 / cm² | Approximately 3600 / cm² |
| Position of pitcher hip in upper pitchers | Mid-way, to lower half | Upper quarter |
| Position of pitcher hip in lower pitchers | Lower third to quarter | Immediately beneath peristome |
[edit] Forms and varieties
Across its range, N. mirabilis exhibits great variability in terms of pitcher morphology and colour. The following forms and varieties of N. mirabilis have been described. With the exception of N. mirabilis var. echinostoma, these taxa are not considered valid today, and two represent a different species altogether.
- Nepenthes mirabilis f. anamensis (Hort.Weiner) Hort.Westphal (1991)
- Nepenthes mirabilis var. anamensis Hort.Weiner in sched. (1985) nom.nud.
- Nepenthes mirabilis var. biflora J.H.Adam & Wilcock (1992)
- Nepenthes mirabilis var. echinostoma (Hook.f.) Hort.Slack ex J.H.Adam & Wilcock (1992)
- Nepenthes mirabilis f. simensis (Hort.Weiner) Hort.Westphal} (1991)
- Nepenthes mirabilis var. simensis Hort.Weiner in sched. (1985) nom.nud.
- Nepenthes mirabilis f. smilesii (Hemsl.) Hort.Westphal (2000) [=Nepenthes smilesii]
- Nepenthes mirabilis var. smilesii (Hemsl.) Hort.Weiner in sched. (1985) [=Nepenthes smilesii]
N. mirabilis var. echinostoma was discovered by Odoardo Beccari in 1865 and described as a species, N. echinostoma, by Joseph Dalton Hooker in 1873.[2] In 1882, Frederick William Burbidge described this unusual variety in The Gardeners' Chronicle as follows:[3][2]
Beccari's singular N. echinostoma (vide Herb Kew) is a wonderful thing as yet unintroduced—indeed, I suppose, unseen by any save Beccari! The mouths of the urns remind one of the deflexed teeth of some gigantic moss of the Hypnoid section.
N. mirabilis var. echinostoma is the only form of this species that occurs in Brunei. It has also been recorded from parts of Sarawak, but appears to be completely absent from Sabah.[2]
[edit] Natural hybrids
The following natural hybrids involving N. mirabilis have been recorded.
- ? (N. alata × N. merrilliana) × N. mirabilis [=N. × tsangoya]
- ? N. alata × N. mirabilis [=N. × mirabilata]
- N. ampullaria × N. mirabilis [=N. × kuchingensis, Nepenthes cutinensis]
- N. benstonei × N. mirabilis
- N. bicalcarata × N. mirabilis
- ? (N. bicalcarata × N. rafflesiana) × N. mirabilis
- N. gracilis × N. mirabilis [=N. × ghazallyana, N. × grabilis, N. neglecta?]
- N. mirabilis × N. rafflesiana
- N. mirabilis × N. rowanae
- N. mirabilis × N. spathulata
- N. mirabilis × N. tenax
N. × mirabilata (N. alata × N. mirabilis) and N. × tsangoya ((N. alata × N. merrilliana) × N. mirabilis) were mentioned as natural hybrids in Guide to Nepenthes Hybrids (1995), however the known ranges of the parent species do not overlap in the wild.
 N. mirabilis × N. rafflesiana |
 N. mirabilis × N. rafflesiana |
[edit] References
- ^ Clarke, C.M. 1997. Nepenthes of Borneo. Natural History Publications (Borneo), Kota Kinabalu.
- ^ a b c Phillipps, A. & A. Lamb 1996. Pitcher Plants of Borneo. Natural History Publications (Borneo), Kota Kinabalu.
- ^ Burbidge, F.W. 1882. Notes on the New Nepenthes. The Gardeners' Chronicle Vol. XVII: 56.
- Clarke et al. (2000). Nepenthes mirabilis. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 12 May 2006.
- Clarke, C.M. 2001. A Guide to the Pitcher Plants of Sabah. Natural History Publications (Borneo), Kota Kinabalu, pp. 105-107.
- Clarke, C.M. & R. Kruger 2005. Nepenthes rowanae (Nepenthaceae), a remarkable species from Cape York, Australia. Carnivorous Plant Newsletter 34(2): 36-41.
Miscellaneous: Nepenthes classification • Nepenthes infauna
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