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Lower, Intermediate and Upper pitcher difference?

Thagirion

Budgies are best
Other than the placement of the pitchers on the vine how can you tell if something is a lower, intermediate or upper pitcher? Is it that lowers have the tendril in the front like this bicalcarata?

http://www.nepenthesaroundthehouse.com/nbical2.jpg

Intermediates have it on the side?

http://panscarnivores.com/wp-conten...mages/n-ventricosa-seed-grown--1315490974.jpg

Like these ventricosas?

And uppers have it in the back like this bicalcarata?

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oV1RUxbNq...o/UIEYuUSTK9c/s1600/Nepenthes+bicalcarata.jpg

If you buy a cutting that you didn't know came from a vine that was already producing uppers could this be used to tell? Or any other kind of pitcher along the vine? All my ventratas seem to be upper pitchers and I wondered if this is because they were all cuttings to start with. They have the tendril in the back. Only a few on my basals have it on the side.
 
IMHO the morphology differs significantly but in generalized terms you could think of tendril attachment as the main significant characteristic, yes.
Also, cuttings tend to follow in the footsteps as the state of the rest of the vine: If it was taken from a vining plant it will tend to produce uppers but it's not a hard-fast rule.
 
upper pitchers also have the tendency to have loops in their tendrils.
 
Ok thanks you two. Hehe, glad I was on the right track.
 
Lower pitchers will generally have the tendril down the front of the pitcher, sometimes on the side, intermediates on the side, and uppers to the back. Also, lowers are usually more squat, tubby, and oftne highly colorful, uppers will be elongate and paler or less vibrant, and intermediates are, well, intermediate between the two. Lowers also usually have wings, uppers not, with some notable exceptions.
 
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