Nepenthes malayensis

Nepenthes malayensis, or the Malayan Nepenthes, is a montane species of carnivorous tropical pitcher plant endemic to Peninsular Malaysia. It grows close to mountain summits around 800-1000 m above sea level in partially shaded areas, though some individuals have been seen striving in open areas. The species was first observed in 2018 and initially thought to be conspecific with N. sanguinea. Nepenthes malayensis' formal description was published in late 2020 in Kew Bulletin^[1] and it is one of the three new species described in the same year (the other two was N. latiffiana^[2] and N. domei^[2]). These discoveries have made Peninsular Malaysia home to 15 species of Nepenthes.

Discovery and Taxonomy

Nepenthes malayensis was first sighted in 2018 during an expedition by a group of local researhers and photographers to highland forests within the eastern part of Peninsular Malaysia. The group comprised Mohd Norfaizal Ghazalli, Amin Asyraf Tamizi, Dome Nikong, Edward Entalai Besi, Muhamad Ikhawanuddin Mat Esa and Mohamad Alias Shakri. The species was formally described by Amin Asyraf Tamizi, Mohd Norfaizal Ghazalli and Dome Nikong which was published online by Kew Bulletin (vol. 75^[1]) on 20^th December 2020.

The name 'malayensis' (- of Malaya) signifies the endemism of this species to Malaya, or Peninsular Malaysia, specifically to the eastern mountain range.

The species was mistaken as an allied taxon to N. sanguinea on the first sight due to slightly resemblance of the upper pitchers in green individuals. Detailed characterization of the upper stems, lower pitchers, leaf surface, vascular bundle and DNA marker have since established N. malayensis as a distinct species. Diagnostic characteristics that make N. malayensis distinct from N. sanguinea are cylindrical to broadly angular stem (vs. sharply angular), pubescent (hairy) leaves and tendrils (vs. glabrescent), and broad-cylindrical pithcers which are slightly constricting in the middle and below persitome (vs. narrow pithcers, funnel shaped). Green individuals were the most sighted varieties while dark-reddish varieties were less common. Natural hybrids of N. malayensis are possibily exist within the same habitat based on sightings of some plants that resemble N. malayensis but with slightly different pitcher morphology. Compared to N. sanguinea, N. malayensis has not been observed growing on soil in its natural habitat, instead it prefers achoring on humus accumulated on rocks or moss banks on tree branches making it a non-terrestrial Nepenthes.

Refferences

^ ^a ^b Tamizi, Amin Asyraf; Ghazalli, Mohd Norfaizal; Nikong, Dome; Besi, Edward Entalai; Mat-Esa, Muhamad Ikhwanuddin; Mohd-Nordin, Anuar Rasyidi; Latiff, A.; Shakri, Mohamad Alias (2020-12-20). "Nepenthes malayensis (Nepenthaceae), a new species of carnivorous pitcher plant from Peninsular Malaysia". Kew Bulletin. 75 (4): 63. doi:10.1007/s12225-020-09918-z. ISSN 1874-933X.
^ ^a ^b Ghazalli, Mohd Norfaizal; Tamizi, Amin Asyraf; Nikong, Dome; Besi, Edward Entalai; Esa, Muhamad Ikhawanuddin Mat; Nordin, Anuar Rasyidi Mohd; Latiff, A.; Zaini, Ahmad Zaki; Shakri, Mohamad Alias (2020-07-01). "Nepenthes latiffiana and N. domei (Nepenthaceae), two new species of pitcher plants from Terengganu, Peninsular Malaysia". Webbia. 75 (1): 5–28. doi:10.36253/jopt-7950. ISSN 0083-7792.

[:0-1] Tamizi, Amin Asyraf; Ghazalli, Mohd Norfaizal; Nikong, Dome; Besi, Edward Entalai; Mat-Esa, Muhamad Ikhwanuddin; Mohd-Nordin, Anuar Rasyidi; Latiff, A.; Shakri, Mohamad Alias (2020-12-20). "Nepenthes malayensis (Nepenthaceae), a new species of carnivorous pitcher plant from Peninsular Malaysia". Kew Bulletin. 75 (4): 63. doi:10.1007/s12225-020-09918-z. ISSN 1874-933X.

[:1-2] Ghazalli, Mohd Norfaizal; Tamizi, Amin Asyraf; Nikong, Dome; Besi, Edward Entalai; Esa, Muhamad Ikhawanuddin Mat; Nordin, Anuar Rasyidi Mohd; Latiff, A.; Zaini, Ahmad Zaki; Shakri, Mohamad Alias (2020-07-01). "Nepenthes latiffiana and N. domei (Nepenthaceae), two new species of pitcher plants from Terengganu, Peninsular Malaysia". Webbia. 75 (1): 5–28. doi:10.36253/jopt-7950. ISSN 0083-7792.

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