Nepenthes bicalcarata
Description
Terrestrial climber up to 15 m tall.
Leaves thickly chartaceous, petiolate, oblong-lanceolate, 20-65 by 6-14 cm, apex acute to truncate and emarginate, occasionally peltate, base attenuate;
Fruit with valves to 3 by 0.5 cm, lanceolate.
Seed not seen.
Distribution
Asia-Tropical: Borneo present (Brunei present, Sarawak present), NW Kalimantan present, SW Sabah present
Borneo: NW Kalimantan, Sarawak, Brunei, SW Sabah.
Morphology
3. The upper pitchers of this species are often surprisingly small relative to the large leaf blades. This may be an adaptation to the somewhat shady sites that this species favours.
2. The tendril of the pitcher is nearly always hollowed out and occupied by small red ants (Camponotus schmitzii). The ants are said to recover prey items from the pitcher fluid (see p. 11). Numerous nectar glands are found scattered on the stem, upper midribs and tendrils, and the spur is also often densely glandular. The long lid-column and the recurved thorns may comprise parts of the mechanism of prey capture, rather than the fanciful protective role suggested by Burbidge ( ).
1 Nepenthes bicalcarata is not easily confused with any other species of the genus: the huge peristome thorns formed from united ribs, the reniform lid which is broader than long, and the ant-hollowed tendrils and stems, are each features unique to this species. The paniculate inflorescence has fasciculate partial peduncles similar to those of the Madagascan species (N. madagascariensis and N. masoalensis).
Citation
Becc. 1886 – In: Malesia. p 1
Becc. 1886: p. 231. – In: Malesia. t. 55
Burb. 1882 – In: Gard. Chron. p 56
Danser 1928 – In: Bull. Jard. Bot. Buitenzorg. p 270
Jebb & Cheek 1997 – In: Blumea. p 24
Phillipps & A.L. Lamb 1996: Pitcher Plants of Borneo: 70. f. 41
Sh. Kurata 1976: Nepenthes of Mt Kinabalu, Sabah: 37. t. 8
Clarke 1997: Nepenthes of Borneo: 68. f. 43 & 44