Nepenthes Jacquelineae - Description

Description

Nepenthes jacquelineae is a climbing plant. The stem, which is usually less than 5 mm thick, grows to 5 m in length and is cylindrical-angular in cross section. Internodes are up to 10 cm long.

Rosette plants with lower pitchers of various colours

Leaves are sessile to sub-petiolate and have a coriaceous texture. The lamina is ovate-spathulate in form and grows to 20 cm in length and 6 cm in width. Three longitudinal veins are present on either side of the midrib together with numerous pinnate veins. Tendrils are up to 30 cm long.

Rosette and lower pitchers are relatively small, rarely being more than 6 cm high and 4 cm wide. They are infundibular throughout and may or may not have fringed wings. They bear a wide, flattened peristome (≤10 mm wide) which is contracted in the middle. Ribs are barely discernible, except at the front of the peristome. Terrestrial pitchers have ovate lids. Small, circular nectar glands (≤0.5 mm wide) are concentrated on the underside of the lid near its apex. Several very large raised glands (≤1 mm wide) are also present. An unbranched spur (≤5 mm long) is inserted at the base of the lid.

A lower pitcher of the red form of N. jacquelineae (left) and an upper pitcher with typical colouration (right)

Upper pitchers are much larger, growing up to 15 cm high and 10 cm wide. Wings are reduced to ribs that run down the front of the pitcher. The greatly expanded peristome may reach 3.5 cm in width in aerial pitchers. The lid does not cover the mouth completely, being narrowly ovate. It is up to 5 cm long and 2 cm wide. The crater-like glands on the underside of the lid may be up to 1.5 mm wide. These glands are so large that they are visible as swellings on the upper surface of the lid. The spur is simple and up to 1 cm long. Pitchers range in colour from light green to dark purple throughout and may be lightly speckled. The most common form of this species has green pitchers with a red peristome.

Nepenthes jacquelineae has a racemose inflorescence. In male plants, the peduncle is up to 12 cm long and the rachis up to 20 cm long, whereas in female plants the peduncle is up to 20 cm long and the rachis up to 10 cm long. The rachis bears one- or two-flowered partial peduncles. Sepals are ovate-lanceolate, up to 7 mm long, and 4 mm wide. Each male inflorescence bears approximately 100 flowers, whereas each female inflorescence bears around 60 flowers. Mature fruits are up to 2.5 cm long.

The stem and leaves of N. jacquelineae are glabrous throughout. The outer surfaces of the pitchers are covered with short, white stellate hairs. Developing pitcher buds are densely covered with simple, red-brown hairs, most of which are lost as the pitcher develops, with the exception of those on the spur. Female inflorescences usually have a denser indumentum than male inflorescences.

Upper pitchers of N. jacquelineae growing in upper montane forest

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