Nepenthes mirabilis
Content
Description
Terrestrial shrub or climber to 10 m tall.
Leaves thinly chartaceous, rarely membranous or thickly chartaceous, petiolate, leaves of rosettes and short stems lanceolate or oblong, apex acuminate, not peltate, margin fimbriate, fimbriae c. 2 mm long, petiole base sheathing, leaves of climbing stems broader, obovate, oblong or lanceolate, (15-)20-40 by 4-10 cm, apex acute, margin entire, petiole canaliculate, rarely slightly winged, 3-20 cm long, clasping the stem by 1/2 its circumference.
Distribution
Asia-Tropical, Bali to Lombok present, E Java present, Luzon present, Palawan present, Thailand and Indochina to Micronesia (Palau) and Australia present, eastern Nusa Tengarras present, northern Philippines present
Thailand and Indochina to Micronesia (Palau) and Australia. Malesia: throughout except northern Philippines (Luzon and Palawan) and the eastern Nusa Tengarras (E Java, Bali to Lombok).
Notes
2. In 19th century literature, N. mirabilis was known under the name N. phyllamphora due to Willdenow’s incorrect combination of Loureiro’s Phyllamphora mirabilis. In 1916, both Druce and Merrill made the correct combination, the former having priority by a few months (see synonymy above).
4. The variety echinostoma is one of the most striking aberrations, with long peristome teeth developing from the inner peristome. Large populations of this variety are said to exist in Sarawak, but herbarium material is very scanty.
1 The most widespread species of the genus, N. mirabilis can be encountered with almost all lowland species. It is variable, but unique in having a fimbriate margin to the leaves of rosettes and short stems. These fimbriae are not trichomes, but attenuated extensions of the leaf. Other distinctive characters of N. mirabilis are the numerous longitudinal nerves scattered throughout the leaf blade, the sericeous, dorsiventrally flattened spur with a rounded apex, the elliptic to orbicular lid held close to the mouth, the usually flattened peristome, and the subcylindrical often laterally flattened upper pitcher.
3. The peristome of western populations is usually flattened and extends well beyond the pitcher wall. In eastern populations it is more rounded.
Citation
J.H. Adam & Wilcock – In: Sarawak Mus. J.: 160
Danser 1928 – In: Bull. Jard. Bot. Buitenzorg: 330
Phillipps & A.L. Lamb 1996: Pitcher Plants of Borneo
J.H. Adam & Wilcock 1992 – In: Mal. Nat. J.: 76
Phillipps & A.L. Lamb 1996: Pitcher Plants of Borneo: 109: f. 57
Macfarl. 1908 – In: Engl., Pflanzenr. 4: 70
Jebb & Cheek 1997 – In: Blumea: 63
Jebb 1991: p. 32. – In: Science in New Guinea: f. 16
Sh. Kurata 1976: Nepenthes of Mt Kinabalu, Sabah: 56
Tamin & M. Hotta 1986 – In: M. Hotta, Diversity and Dynamics of Plant Life in Sumatra: 88
Merr. 1917: Interpr.: 242
Clarke 1997: Nepenthes of Borneo: 105: f. 70 & 71