Nepenthes lowii
Description
Terrestrial or epiphytic climber to 10 m tall.
Leaves coriaceous, petiolate;
Fruit valves 17-27 by 3-4 mm.
Seed fusiform, 12-14 mm long, central part smooth.
Distribution
Asia-Tropical: Borneo present (Brunei present, Kalimantan present, Sabah present, Sarawak present), Bario present, G. Buli present, Hose Mts present, Mt Mulu present, Mt Murud present, Mts Kinabalu present, Tama Abu range present, Trus Madi present
Borneo: Sabah (Mts Kinabalu, Trus Madi), Sarawak (Hose Mts, G. Buli, Tama Abu range, Bario, Mt Murud, Mt Mulu), Brunei, and Kalimantan.
Morphology
2. Nepenthes lowii is a singular species in the semi-woody, upper pitchers which have the lower part laterally reclined, lack a proper peristome and are extremely constricted at their midpoint. The lower pitchers are somewhat cylindrical and bear a well-developed peristome. The upper pitcher is green outside and a deep maroon red inside. The lid is relatively small, reflexed and has many long tapering bristles c. 6 mm in length. These bristles generate a white gelatinous exudate, although the composition and purpose is unknown (). Wistuba (1994) has suggested that the unusual pitcher shape may be an adaptation to prevent rainwater from diluting or leaching the pitcher contents below the narrow ‘waist’. Some collectors have remarked on the ability of these pitchers to trap leaf litter ‘a vegetarian pitcher plant’ (Ed de Vogel, pers. comm.). The tree shrew Tupaia montana has often been referred to by collectors as ‘licking’ the underside of the lids (presumably ingesting the white exudate), or ‘hunting for snails’ on the underside of the lids (). Clarke in Nepenthes of Borneo (1997) 96 speculates that N. lowii may benefit from trapping tree shrew excrement as well as fallen leaves, and found animal excrement accounting for a large part of the pitcher detritus at five of the seven sites from which he studied pitchers of this species. Perhaps ingestion of the lid exudate prompts defecation in Tupaia! The species can be locally common in undisturbed areas but suffers greatly from curious humans (Phillipps & Lamb l.c. 1996).
1 Nepenthes lowii is distinguished from the similar N. ephippiata by its relatively smaller lid, with longer, slender bristles (6-7 by 0.5 mm tapering to a point) vs. the short, stout processes (3 by 2 mm tapering to a blunt 1 mm diam. apex) of the latter, and by its distinctive pitchers with their highly constricted waist, and the much reduced peristome which is still evident in the upper pitchers of N. ephippiata.
Citation
Clarke 1997: Nepenthes of Borneo: 96: f. 64-66
Hook.f. 1996: Pitcher Plants of Borneo: 98: f. 53
Phillipps & A.L. Lamb 1988 – In: Nature Malaysiana: 19, 20
Sh. Kurata 1976: Nepenthes of Mt Kinabalu, Sabah: 53
Jebb & Cheek 1997 – In: Blumea: 55
Danser 1928 – In: Bull. Jard. Bot. Buitenzorg: 321
J.H. Adam & Wilcock: p. 154. – In: Sarawak Mus. J.: f. XXIVb.