Nepenthes bongso

A freshly opened lower pitcher

An upper pitcher of a variant sometimes distinguished as N. carunculata, from a minor peak near Solok, West Sumatra

Conservation status

Scientific classification

KingdomPlantae

Clade Embryophytes

Clade Tracheophytes

Clade Spermatophytes

Clade Angiosperms

Clade Eudicots

OrderCaryophyllales

FamilyNepenthaceae

GenusNepenthes

SpeciesN.bongso

Binomial name

Nepenthes bongso Korth. (1839)

Distribution of N. bongso

Synonyms

Synonyms Nepenthes carunculata Danser (1928)Nepenthes carunculata var. robusta Nerz & Wistuba (1994)Nepenthes singalana auct. non Becc.: Tamin & M.Hotta in M.Hotta (1986) [=N. bongso/N. densiflora?/N. gymnamphora/ N. lavicola/N. singalana/N. spathulata] Heterochresonyms Nepenthes bongso auct. non Korth.: Ridl. (1908) [=N. alba]Nepenthes bongso auct. non Korth.: Guillaum. (1911) [=N. vieillardii]Nepenthes bongso auct. non Korth.: Danser (1928); Sh.Kurata (1973) [=N. bongso/N. ovata/N. talangensis]Nepenthes bongso auct. non Korth.: Tamin & M.Hotta in M.Hotta (1986) [=N. bongso/N. dubia/N. inermis]Nepenthes bongso auct. non Korth.: Hopkins, Maulder & B.R.Salmon (1990) [=N. talangensis]Nepenthes bongso auct. non Korth.: Jebb & Cheek (1997); Cheek & Jebb (2001) [=N. bongso/N. talangensis]

Nepenthes bongso /nɪˈpɛnθiːzˈbɒŋsoʊ/ is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Sumatra, where it has an altitudinal distribution of 1000–2700m above sea level. The specific epithet bongso refers to the Indonesian legend of Putri Bungsu (literally "youngest daughter"), the spirit guardian of Mount Marapi.

Taxonomy

The species was formally described by Pieter Willem Korthals in his 1839 monograph, "Over het geslacht Nepenthes".

Nepenthes carunculata[note a] is considered a heterotypic synonym of N.bongso by most authorities. The infraspecific taxon Nepenthes carunculata var. robusta was described in 1994 by Joachim Nerz and Andreas Wistuba. It is an extreme variety of this taxon with a large, flared peristome.

In his Carnivorous Plant Database, taxonomist Jan Schlauer treats N.junghuhnii (sensu Macfarlane) as a possible synonym of N.bongso.

Related species

Morphological differences between N. bongso, N. dubia, N. talangensis and N. tenuis (Nerz & Wistuba, 1994)
Character	N.bongso	N.dubia	N.talangensis	N.tenuis
Shape of upper pitchers	tubulate - infundibulate	tubulous in the lower part, infundibulate above the middle	tubulous to narrow infundibuliform in the lower half, ovate in the upper half	wide infundibulate, contracted below the mouth
Lid	orbiculate	narrow cuneate	broad-ovate	very narrow elliptical
Length/width ratio of upper pitchers	3.3	1.9	2.3	1.75

A typical lower pitcher of N.bongso
Lower pitchers (developing, open, and dried)
Lower pitchers of N.carunculata, which is often treated as a synonym

Natural hybrids

The following natural hybrids involving N.bongso have been recorded.

N.bongso × N.gymnamphora
N.bongso × N.singalana
N.bongso × N.talangensis

In his 1928 monograph "The Nepenthaceae of the Netherlands Indies", B. H. Danser mentioned what he thought was the hybrid N.bongso × N.pectinata; however, this plant material is now known to represent N.densiflora, a species described by Danser 12 years later.

Notes

a.^ Nepenthes carunculata is pronounced /nɪˈpɛnθiːzkəˌrʌŋkjʊˈlɑːtə/. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin word caruncula, a diminutive of caro (flesh), and refers to the fleshy seed appendages of this taxon.

External links

at the Carnivorous Plant Photofinder