Nepenthes Adnata - Ecology

Ecology

Nepenthes adnata is endemic to the mountains of the Tjampo river region of West Sumatra. Most ridges in this area have an elevation of just below 1000 m, although several exceed this height. The species has an altitudinal distribution of 600 to 1200 m above sea level. It grows on mossy sandstone cliff faces amongst dense vegetation. The habitat is moist and receives diffused sunlight.

In its natural habitat, the species occurs sympatrically with N. tenuis and grows in close proximity to N. albomarginata, N. ampullaria, N. eustachya, N. gracilis, N. longifolia, and N. reinwardtiana. Despite this, N. adnata has no known natural hybrids. In Kelok Sembilan, the species has been found to grow alongside Utricularia striatula, a distantly related carnivorous plant.

Only two collections of this species have been made and these correspond to two populations separated by several kilometres of mountainous terrain. The species may be more widespread in the region, but most cliffs in the Tjampo river area are virtually inaccessible, making the discovery of new localities unlikely in the near future. The only population that is easily accessible is very small and frequently visited by plant collectors. Charles Clarke considers this population "severely threatened". However, since the full extent of its range is unknown, the conservation status of N. adnata is listed as Data Deficient on the 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The habitat of this species may be threatened in the near future by fires deliberately started to clear forest for agricultural purposes.