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| Nepenthes pudica Dančák & Majeský, in Dančák, Majeský, Čermák, ... et Tjiasmanto, 2022. Photographs by M. Dančák. |
Abstract
Nepenthes pudica, a new species from North Kalimantan, Indonesia, is described and illustrated. The species belongs to the N. hirsuta group (sensu Cheek and Jebb 1999) but exhibits some characters that are unique within the group or even within the genus. Above all, it produces underground, achlorophyllous shoots with well-developed, ventricose lower pitchers that form in soil cavities or directly in the soil. No lower pitchers are formed above ground. The main part of its prey are ants, besides other litter- and soil-inhabiting species of invertebrates. A number of infaunal species were found in both aerial and underground pitchers, mainly Diptera and nematodes. Nepenthes pudica is known only from a few neighbouring localities in the Mentarang Hulu district of North Kalimantan, where it grows on ridgetops at an elevation of 1100–1300 m. Its discovery underlines the natural richness of Borneo’s rainforest and the necessity to preserve this important ecosystem with its enormous and still undiscovered biodiversity.
Keywords: Borneo, carnivorous plant, Caryophyllales, Mentarang Hulu, prey composition, taxonomy, underground trap
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| Nepenthes pudica Dančák & Majeský, A juvenile rosette pitcher B upper pitchers (4 on the right; each from a different plant), intermediate pitcher (1 on the left) C habitat with mature plant D habitat with lower pitchers excavated from the soil. Photographs by M. Dančák. |
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| Nepenthes pudica Dančák & Majeský, A detail of lower pitchers excavated from the soil B lower pitchers in a cavity under tree roots–note greening of phyllodia formed in presence of low light C lower pitchers revealed under a moss mat D lower pitchers extracted from a cavity–note achlorophyllous shoot and reduced phyllodia formed in total darkness. Photographs by M. Dančák. |
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| Nepenthes pudica Dančák & Majeský, A habit B lower pitcher C infructescence D male inflorescence E detail of climbing stem with a leaf. Drawn by Kateřina Janošíková. |
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| Nepenthes pudica Dančák & Majeský, A male flowers B male plant with inflorescence C infructescence D female plant with infructescence. Photographs by M. Dančák. |
Nepenthes pudica Dančák & Majeský, sp. nov.
Diagnosis: Nepenthes pudica differs from N. hispida Beck in producing short basal underground (vs. aboveground) shoots; ± glabrous (vs. hairy) stems; petiolate (vs. sessile) climbing shoot leaves with auriculate, shortly decurrent (vs. decurrent-amplexicaul) bases; rare (vs. common) upper pitchers; red (vs. green or red blotched) lower pitchers; ± glabrous (vs. hairy) mature pitchers; ventricose (vs. ovoid-ellipsoid) lower pitchers; infundibular (vs. subcylindrical, tapering) upper half of the lower pitcher; 3–5.5 cm (vs. 1.5–3 cm) wide lower pitchers; male flowers in pairs (vs. single or rarely in pairs) and androphore c. 4 mm (vs. 1.5–2 mm) long.
Distribution: The species is known only from a few adjoining localities in the western part of the Mentarang Hulu district of North Kalimantan, Indonesia. The exact locations have been withheld in order to prevent poaching by unscrupulous commercial collectors.
Etymology: The specific epithet pudica (bashful, shy), is a feminine adjective and alludes to the fact that lower pitchers remain concealed from direct view.
Martin Dančák, Ľuboš Majeský, Václav Čermák, Michal R. Golos, Bartosz J. Płachno and Wewin Tjiasmanto. 2022. First Record of Functional Underground Traps in A Pitcher Plant: Nepenthes pudica (Nepenthaceae), A New Species from North Kalimantan, Borneo. PhytoKeys. 201: 77-97. DOI: 10.3897/phytokeys.201.82872
