Taxonomy
Nepenthes alata is closely related to several other species, including N. copelandii, N. mindanaoensis, N. philippinensis, and N. saranganiensis. Nepenthes eustachya from Sumatra was once considered a form of N. alata, but this was based on a misinterpretation of type specimens; these two species do not seem directly related to each other.
| Morphological character | N. alata | N. eustachya |
|---|---|---|
| Leaf blade | lanceolate-ovate | lanceolate |
| Leaf apex | acute or attenuate | rounded to sub-peltate |
| Petiole | broadly winged | scarcely or not winged |
| Spur | simple, acutely pointed | simple or bifurcate |
| Indumentum | reddish or whitish hairs | absent throughout |
| Structure of pitcher base | texture similar to rest of pitcher, abruptly attenuate to tendril | angular, woody, gradually attenuate to tendril |
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