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N. truncata "black"

obregon562

Two flies one pitcher. Minus the crap eating.
Supporter
CPers,

I have recently been looking over some shots on this board, the Nep boards, and the ICPS board, of various N. truncata blacks. While i do not argue that this nep is beautiful, i am starting to doubt it is a true N. truncata. Rather, i think it is a introgressed hybrid, which have been talked about a lot lately. just look at the leaves on the BE display plant. They are not truncated in the least. So is this a hybrid? Species? If someone has an example of a truncated black please show it, but i am sold right now that this is not a true N. truncata.

Frankie
 
I wouldn't call it a different species or hybrid just because of a different shape or color. Raff and Amp show both of those traits very well in their variations.
 
Ant,

Its not the color i was saying was different.

The very trait that gives the species its name, the truncated leaves, are absent (from what ive seen) from this "black" variety.
 
I think I remember reading on another board that BE themselves (Rob) and others seemed to also think it may have some mixed breeding in its background somewhere. Whatever the case, it sure is among the most spectacular nepenthes IMO.
 
obregon562,
The leaves are truncated, just like N. truncata. When Rob brought the plant over for the Singapore Garden Festival this July, I had a chance to take a good look at it. However, Rob did point out that there are differences in the pitcher that show that it is not a typical truncata...it could be a lost giant form or it could be a hybrid with another extinct species. Anyway, they managed to get seeds from their own plants so for the next one to two years, it will be an exciting time for anyone who is interested in this form to follow the updates as to how the seedlings turn out.

A pity that that Tony's plants got stolen. The person who has them now, even if he/she is able to grow them well, will not be able to use them for propagation openly and a certain proportion of the gene pool will be gone.
 
Plant species are not as pure as we like to pretend. Neps of different "species" collected in the same area probably share some recent ancesters. I'm not saying that they're brothers and sisters, but they probably find themselves attending some of the same weddings and funerals.
 
Is there any information about the location and other species in the area where these plants were originaly found? Of course, whatever species that could be introgressed could be long gone, too.

xvart.
 
Here is a link to some source information, with pics:

http://www.borneoexotics.com/Species Data/truncata.aspx

I do see the truncate leaves on these plants. Just because they look a little different from the trucatas we are used to doesn't mean they should be classified as a completely different species altogether.

I thought I posted this last night, but I guess it didn't post for some odd reason.
 
Wow that truncata is even darker then ramispina. Wonder if it is still on the mountain?
 
  • #10
BE says that they think the black truncatas are extinct now due to deforestation of the area. It's very, very sad that such things can happen, and it's not just the black truncata habitats that are being destroyed; Nepenthes habitats everywhere are being bulldozed for road construction, timber, farmland, and palm plantations.

See for yourself here:

http://www.forum.petpitcher.com/showthread.php?t=1421

And here:

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/11/borneo/white-text

These days, eleven years is a long time for a Nepenthes habitat to stay safe following its discovery.
 
  • #11
Very sad news about the N.Truncata black and any other plantlife and animals that lost their habitat due to deforestation I wish things like this wouldn't happened. :-(
 
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