Related Species
Despite being confused with N. bongso throughout much of its botanical history, N. talangensis is clearly distinct from this species and can easily be distinguished on the basis of its greatly incurved peristome and smaller laminae with hair-fringed margins. In addition, the lower pitchers of N. bongso have a cylindrical upper portion that is non-glandular, whereas the lower traps of N. talangensis lack this cylindrical section and are wholly glandular. Furthermore, the laminar apex is acute to obtuse in N. talangensis and has a simple tendril insertion; N. bongso has a rounded apex, typically with a sub-apical tendril insertion.
The funnel-shaped upper pitchers of N. talangensis may also be reminiscent of species such as N. eymae, N. flava, N. inermis, N. pitopangii, and N. tenuis. However, N. talangensis differs from all of these in its combination of a wide lid without appendages and a greatly incurved peristome bearing conspicuous ribs and teeth. The pitchers of N. talangensis may also resemble those of N. jamban, but are not as broad around the mouth and have a much wider lid.
Nepenthes aristolochioides is thought to be the closest relative of N. talangensis and these two species share a very similar lamina structure. However, they are easily separated by their pitchers; those of N. aristolochioides are uniquely dome-shaped and have an almost vertical pitcher opening.
In their formal description of N. talangensis, Nerz and Wistuba compared it with N. bongso, N. dubia, and N. tenuis. The authors distinguished it from these species on the basis of the shape of the upper pitchers, the lid, and the length/width ratio of the upper pitchers. The ratio was given as 2.3 for N.talangensis; greater than that of N. tenuis (1.75) and N. dubia (1.9), but much lower than that of N. bongso (3.3).
Read more about this topic: Nepenthes Talangensis
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