Nepenthes Spathulata - Description

Description

Nepenthes spathulata is a climbing plant. The stem may grow to a height of 5 m but is only up to 8 mm in diameter. Internodes are up to 15 cm long and cylindrical to angular or rhomboid in cross section.

Leaves are sessile to sub-petiolate and coriaceous in texture. As the name suggests, the lamina is spathulate. It may be up to 30 cm long by 10 cm wide and is gradually attenuate towards the base. The apex of the lamina is rounded and shortly acuminate or emarginate. Three to five longitudinal veins are present on either side of the midrib. Pinnate veins are generally indistinct. Tendrils are up to 20 cm long and sometimes have a sub-peltate insertion.

Rosette and lower pitchers gradually or abruptly arise from the end of the tendril. The pitcher cup is ovoid in the lower third to two-thirds, becoming cylindrical and somewhat narrower above. N. spathulata probably produces the largest pitchers of the Sumatran Nepenthes species; they may be up to 30 cm high and 10 cm wide. A pair of fringed wings (≤25 mm wide) runs down the front of the pitcher. The glandular region covers the ovoid portion of the pitcher's inner surface; the waxy zone above is well developed. The mouth is round, very oblique throughout, and may be elongated into a short neck. The peristome is narrow at the front (≤5 mm wide), becoming much wider towards the rear (≤25 mm wide). It is flared at the sides and may be scalloped, although this feature is somewhat atypical of the species as a whole. The inner margin of the peristome is lined with short but distinct teeth. The inner portion of the peristome accounts for around 32% of its total cross-sectional surface length. The pitcher lid or operculum is ovate, lacks appendages, and is often slightly cordate. The spur, located near the base of the lid, is usually branched and may be up to 10 mm long.

Upper pitchers are infrequently produced. They are narrowly ovoid in the lowermost quarter to third of the pitcher cup, becoming cylindrical above. They are much smaller than lower pitchers, only reaching 15 cm in height and 3 cm in width. The mouth is approximately round and is not elongated into a neck. It has an oblique insertion. The peristome is also much thinner (≤7 mm wide) and is often undulate at the margins. Two pronounced ribs are present in place of wings. In other aspects of morphology, upper pitchers are similar to their terrestrial counterparts.

Nepenthes spathulata has a racemose inflorescence. The peduncle is up to 5 cm long. The rachis may be up to 15 cm long, although it is shorter in female inflorescences. Pedicels are up to 10 mm long and have a filiform bracteole. Sepals are obovate to oblong in shape and up to 4 mm long.

Inflorescences have a dense indumentum of short hairs. Developing pitchers are also densely covered with short hairs, but most of these are caducous. The stem, lamina and tendrils are virtually glabrous.

The stem and lamina are green. Lower pitchers range in colour from light green with a dark purple peristome to yellowish-bronze with a bright red peristome.