Nepenthes Insignis - Description

Description

Nepenthes insignis is a weak climber. The stem is usually around 50 to 80 cm long and up to 7 mm in diameter. Internodes are triangular in cross section and up to 9 cm long.

Leaves are coriaceous and sessile. The lamina is linear-lanceolate or slightly spathulate and up to 35 cm long and 6 cm wide. It has an acute apex and is gradually attenuate towards the base. Four to six longitudinal veins are present on either side of the midrib. Pinnate veins run obliquely towards the margin and are indistinct in the outer part of the lamina. Tendrils are up to 6 mm in diameter and may or may not have a curl.

Rosette and lower pitchers are ovate or narrowly ovate in the lower half and cylindrical above. They can be very large, reaching 35 cm in height. Terrestrial pitchers usually lack fringed wings, having a pair of ribs instead. The insertion of the pitcher mouth is slightly oblique. The flattened peristome bears ribs spaced 0.5 to 1 mm apart. Its inner margin is lined with small teeth up to 1 mm long. It is not elongated into a neck. The inner portion of the peristome accounts for around 43% of its total cross-sectional surface length. The inner surface of the pitcher is glandular in its lower half. Digestive glands are present at a density of 150 to 1500 per square centimetre. The waxy zone is reduced. The pitcher lid is orbiculate to broad cordate, bears a distinct midline, and may be up to 8 cm long. Numerous large glands are present on the underside of the lid, concentrated near the two main lateral veins. An unbranched filiform spur (≤5 mm long) is inserted near the base of the lid.

Upper pitchers gradually arise from the ends of the tendrils, forming a 5 to 35 mm wide curve. They are infundibulate in the lower part and cylindrical above. They are up to 30 cm high and 8 cm wide. They may have very short wings (≤3 cm long) below the peristome. The pitcher mouth is oblique and acute or acuminate towards the lid. The expanded peristome is up to 35 mm wide and bears ribs spaced 0.5 to 1 mm apart. Its inner margin is lined with teeth which are about as long as they are wide. The inner surface of the pitcher is almost wholly glandular. The very small, overarched digestive glands occur at a density of 400 to 3000 per square centimetre. The pitcher lid is orbicular-ovate and up to 7.5 cm long. It bears a distinct midline and two distinct lateral veins. A number of large suborbicular glands are concentrated around these veins. A filiform spur (≤5 mm long) is inserted near the base of the lid.

Nepenthes insignis has a racemose inflorescence. The peduncle is up to 18 cm long and 7 mm in diameter. The rachis is attenuate, angular in cross section, and up to 46 cm long. Pedicels are two-flowered and lack bracts. They may be up to 22 mm long. The oblong tepals are approximately 4 mm long. Stamens are around 5 mm long including the anthers.

Most parts of the plant are virtually glabrous. Developing pitchers have a sparse indumentum of short stellate hairs. Developing inflorescences are very densely hairy, becoming less hairy when mature. Pedicels and tepals are densely and shortly hairy. Stamens are more densely hairy near the base than near the anthers.

The stem and lamina are green. Lower pitchers are usually dark green with red blotches concentrated near the peristome, which is dark reddish-brown. Upper pitchers are yellowish-green with fewer blotches. Herbarium specimens are greenish or yellowish to light brown in colour. Faint red spots are visible on the outside surface of preserved pitchers. In dried specimens, the non-glandular portion of the inner surface is bluish and pruinose and may or may not be spotted.