Nepenthes Sightseeing Trip

[David]

Just sharing pictures of a trip I went yesterday with TS and Jonathan. Jonathan found this site and took us there yesterday. It was a great trip as this was the first time I came face to face with wild N. ampullaria. I was thrill! I think TS felt the same too. This site is north of Kuala Lumpur at the outskirts of town.

There are N. mirabilis, N. gracilis and N. ampullaria growing together in this area. N. mirabilis seem to have dominated this area. The second largest population would be N. gracilis and a small population of ampularia.

My only regret was we did not find any red amp. Was hopping to see wild red amps. I think they are rare in Peninsular Malaysia.

TS, do share your pcitures as well ok.

Enjoy...

N. ampullaria and N. mirabilis plantlets growing side by side...



N. ampullaria with cream colour and a tinch of reddish coloration on the peristome. We just gasps at this fella and stared at it. We only found one plant like that in this location.



Another angle of the same plant...



N. ampullaria green form...









Digging our way into the grass where the ampullaria is hidden. This is the green form again...



This is the largest ampullaria we found there. Of course still cannot compare to the giants that Robert finds in Sarawak...









N. ampullaria speckle...





I like this plant. The picthers are 3 layers from the ground...






N. ampullaria upper pitcher. So cute...



N. ampullaria pitcher growing from the vine of an old plant...



Whole plant of the ampullaria....



As you can see in the picture below the basel pitchers are hidden under the grass while only the vine grows out for the sun. The pitchers maintain its colous in the dark, cool and damp conditions in the bushes.





N. ampullaria plantlets...



N. mirabilis...









This is mirabilis has a really red luscious "lips" (peristome)...


Lower picther of N. mirabilis...


A particularly red picther with red peristome. It's blood red...





N. mirabilis plantlets growing in a clump...





A mirabilis with a particularly broad and thick peristome. However, the colour is cream to yellow...





N. mirabilis climbing up a tree...



This N. mirabilis has been exposed to direct sun and its stems turned all red. Quite beautiful...



N. mirabilis ripen seeds and developing seed pods...







N. gracilis...





Found some hybrids...

N. mirabilis x ampullaria. I think this is a cross between a green amp and green mirabilis or it might be N. mirabilis x (mirabilis x ampullaria)...



This might be a green amp with a red mirabilis. This hybrid seem to be more stout following the amp parent more..



N. gracilis x mirabilis with nice red/maroon picthers...



The landscape and area where the plants grow...





TS taking a picture of the amp that we have just found as Jonathan looks on. Just look at the excitment on TS face...



TS again taking pictures of the neps... ;D

[David]

Just a note, the media in this location has alot of clay with loose sand and clay at the top covered by a layer of leaf debris. The soil in some areas are wet and some ares with puddles of water with bushes and plants growing over them.

In this last picture above, you can see that the media is quite dry. This are is more open and exposed to sun. However, the soild is damp about 2-4 inches below.

[sweethalo]

wow so nice to see them growing well in the wild!

[Robert]

interesting, the habitat shows so much similarity found around kuching. Thanks for sharing, David.

[cactustts]

Some of the pictures I snapped.

Close-up of a green N. amp.


another one.


The red lips N. amp from a different angle.


The green N. amp climbing up the slope. New pitchers keep emerging along the old vine.


The N.gracilis and N. Ampullaria growing side by side.


N mirabilis climbing up the tree, the pitchers hanging down every where. The seeds are not ripen yet.


I like this bunch of N mirabilis particularly on the colourful apperance.


Found another broad peristome N mirabilis, is this similar to echinostoma form?


A pure green form of N mirabilis. Quite huge in size.


Pink colour form.


I found this triangular shaped lip N mirabilis, according to David that's common on N. mirabilis. This plant has fatter pitcher.


There are some parts where almost nepenthes every where, there is no way we could pass through without stepping on one. I accidently stepped right on a bunch of ampullaria pitchers, felt bad after I did it, they are all hidden underneath the grass, we don't even know they are just right in front of us!
Anyway, I was happy with this trip. Can you imagine how three of us screaming and yelling from different locations when we found something interesting, haha, I bet everyone will do the same when you are there.

[phissionkorps]

Cactus,

The "echinostoma" form has a broad peristome, but the defining characteristic is that the peristome is "spiny". Echino = spines. Think echinoderms

[cactustts]

Hi phissionkorps, may I know which part of "stem" you are referring to? I'm interested to know more of this form. Thanks for your explanation.

[rainforestguy]

Very interesting shots. I am still amazed how nepenthes seems to always grow with that false staghorn fern. I am sure a shared interest is occurring and it may be fungal symbiosis or something.

I like the way that many species grow together in harmony.

Happy New Year (Gregorian) and looking forward to the actual new year (Feb 7) when the cycle begins again.

M

[phissionkorps]

Hi phissionkorps, may I know which part of "stem" you are referring to?

No, because I don't even know what the hell I was talking about lol. I meant to say peristome haha

[isaacgoh]

Wow,

Seems like a nice trip. Can't imagine these babies are so close to our concrete jungle.

Nice red lips (although not totally), I wonder what causes the slight mutation.

[cactustts]

No, because I don't even know what the hell I was talking about lol. I meant to say peristome haha

Haha, OK OK