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N. tobaica: a lowlander, highlander or intermediat

Dear all:

I need to find out whether N. tobaica is a lowlander or highlander. Michael Catalani's site and Malesiana tropicals describe it as a highlander while Rob Cantley's site describe it as a lowlander. I can't remember what Andreas Wistuba describe it as. Which one is it??. Help anyone!!!

Thanks

Agustin
 
Charles Clarke has it listed as 380 - 1800m. Jebb and Cheek have it listed as 950 - 2750m.

Which to me would put it in the intermediate/highland range. I grow all mine in this range and they do fine. My plants also get fairly high light which they seem to prefer. Giving the plants a little red flush.

Tony
 
According to 'Danser's Monograph on Nepenthes', which is available online, Nepenthes tobaica occurs at an range of 910 - 1550m, Danser's Monograph - N. tobaica.

So I'd say it is a highlander/intermediate plant, rather than a true lowlander. I grow mine as a highlander, though it has taken quite high temperatures on occasion too. I find it is an easy, species, tolerant of quite a range of conditions.

Vic
 
Hi,
  Mine is in my lowland tank, and seems to be doing very well.  That said, I've only had it about a month.  However, it is a very nice dark green, and pitchering nicely (right out of shipping, I might add), so I can only assume it really likes it's environment.
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The temps in the tank are hight 80's to low 90's in the day, and down to mid to high 70's durring the night. I try to keep the humidity above 70, which is getting difficult becuase one of my plants is too tall...I had to make a openning for it to grow through!
 
I'd say tobaica is an intermediate, if you go by where it naturally occurs.
It isn't found near Medan or Sibolga which are both definitely lowland, but appears on the way up between both towns and Lake Toba. Similarly it peters out in almost all directions as you move away from Lake Toba and the altitude falls away which would make it appear that that is the limiting factor.
Right next to Toba you have quite a few mountains like Sibuk Manuk and the range where mikei, rhombicaulus, ovata and spectablis are found, tobaica grows like a weed at the foot of the range but stops a short way up.
Lake Toba is at about 900m (I think) and I would like to see where it has been recorded at anywhere ober 2,000m!

Cheers, Troy.
 
I grow mine in lowland conditions. And the pitcher size from when I first go it increased in size from 1 to 3 in about 3 leafs.
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Thanks Troy for the input. I figured the 2750m was offbase. I kind of look at it like a bell curve when a range of altitudes is given for a species. Going somewhere in the middle is usually what I shoot for (if I have the luxury to pick that is..)

A weed it is for sure.. I keep chopping them back and they just keep coming back. Rarely staying as a rosette for more than a few months before it is shooting up again.

Tony
 
Hi all:

Maybe that's why, it is not pitchering. It is taking temperatures as low as 48F at night and high as 75. Maybe I should wait until the summer comes.

For anybody who grows them in highland conditions as well as lowland conditions, which of the two makes them produce more pitchers??? anyone??
 
Hi Agustin,

I replied in your other thread on the pitchering thing. Summing it up briefly, I don't believe the temperatures are the root cause for why the N. tobiaca and some of your other Nepenthes are not pitchering.

Tony
 
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