Viking, other amazing Nepenthes from Thailand

[Jason Wong]

OK, without much further ado, let me present to you the Nepenthes of Thailand:

Firstly, a N. (unknown,-maybe-thorelli) that we saw at chatuchak market:

A form of 'red-peristome' N.mirabilis at same place:

And now, plants from Nong's. Hopefully the names won't be confusing. The forms of N. thorelli:

'Giant tiger' red form

'Giant tiger' green form

'Tiger' (red form maybe?)

A weird form of N. mirabilis (could be called 'heart shaped peristome'...psst *valentines day* cough) :hehe:

This trait is apparent in all pitchers.

Continued in next post...

 

[Jason Wong]

Our gorgeous N. kuchingensis 'songkla'. Pitchers may turn green, red or dark red, similarly the peristome can change colour. This happens not only when the pitcher ages, but when the plant does it may produce pitchers of any colour spontaneously.

And finally, the N. 'viking':

'Klom shape', the guru viking:

The 'boat form' (rare!)

'Tall form'? The pitchers of these plants seem to be taller and have a smaller mouth, standing on the mix instead of laying on it, like a normal viking. But a viking nonetheless.

'Typical' or slightly klom shape, lovely colour:

Finally, a plant with two totally different pitchers: (?)

Can't be the result of acclimatization as the plant arrived with these two pitchers intact. Perhaps the pitcher shape of vikings are able to fluctuate (as is the grade) after all as they mature. So you never know what you are going to get for your next pitcher...

And finally, a pic of the whole setup (ok not the whole thing, it got full so we have vikings elsewhere). But a nice landscaping job anyways.

Viking terra:

And yes, that is a mirror at the back. Sorry for the eye pain of having your eyes glued to the screen. :grin:

Jason

PS: If you ever visit Thailand and get a chance to visit him, you'd better do. Then only will you have seen the rarest and most beautiful of all lowland Nepenthes. Most of which yet unknown...

 

[Jason Wong]

Some say that the viking rizhome acts as a refuge against the whether cycle on the island in which the plants are native. The viking will die off at one part of the year, then emerge some time later from the rizhome. A 'warm dormancy'? But it appears that the plants don't need it unless subjected to those conditions, I don't think it has been witnessed in cultivation (where of course the forces of 'mother nature' are controlled).

Of course, it has to be due to evolution. The plants without a rizhome died so the plants with the rizhome thrived to pass down the gene to future generations. And, just for the sake of it;

A freshly potted viking (unpotted again) :grin: with two plants:

I open the peat and sphagnum ball to reveal what looks like a thick piece of root:

And, which on the closeup appears to be a rizhome indeed!

The previously thought 'two plants' orgininate from the same piece.

And as u can see, the rizhome stretches all the way down to a cut point, where it was removed from the mother plant.

The rizhome is thick, hard and leathery, sorta like a sarracenia's. The roots are densest around this area, although spread all over the brown long piece (the main root). As this is probably the only Nepenthes that has a rizhome, it is the only only that can be propagated as such. Very much like how you propagate sarrs and VFTs!
:happy:

What are your thoughts on this?

Jason

 

[Trent]

Jason,
The 'giant thorelii' has a similar rhizome to Viking. Those are good pictures and show the structure very well.
Also, we've noticed Vikings will vary in shape on the same plant. If the pitcher forms sitting on a surface, it will be rounder. Those hanging in the air are more elongated where the tendril meets the pitcher.
Do you know which months of the year for the hot, dry season? My guess would be March thru May, but don't know if the Viking Island might be a little different.

 

[Jason Wong]

Thank you for your insights, they were very helpful. I will watch out for that next time. Also may ask Nong about the weather conditions on viking when I get the chance.

I was actually quite surprised to see such a large rizhome. Perhaps a larger rizhome shows a healthier plant? Also I didn't expect it to be so evident, thought it would be just a black piece of stuff in a ball of roots. Heh, my Nikon E3500 finally showed what it can do!

 

[emilias_garden]

Quote[/b] (Jason Wong @ Feb. 08 2006,9:18)]Firstly, a N. (unknown,-maybe-thorelli) that we saw at chatuchak market:

Quote[/b] ] Firstly, a N. (unknown,-maybe-thorelli) that we saw at chatuchak market:

<span style='color:Teal'>Hello Jason!

Recently i bought a N. Viking. So, because of that i have been making a research about he Nep's of Thailand and Malaysia lately.

As for what i have read and seen, i think that this pitcher is the N. thorelii from Laos. Isn't it? It has the same coloration and form. Even the peristome is exactly as the one that produces this variety of thorelii from Laos.

Cheers,
Jorge Joel...
Emilia's Garden</span>

 

[swords]

That first pic of the "unknown thorelii" from the market looks very similar (in that pic) to my N. X Isamo Kusakobe which is N. mirabiiis x thorelii x mirabilis. I will post pics when my new cuttings make pitchers. In good light the pitchers turn a nice red color.

Great pics of those viking plants! I'm drooling! Is it legal to export this plant, is anyone TC'ing it yet?

 

[schloaty]

Those are really great photos!

I don't know what the hubub is about the viking plants. They're like a not-so-colorful raflessiana if you ask me.

I really like the red peristome mirabalis, though!

 

[Jason Wong]

There is always hubbub about a new 'species' (viking is not yet listed as such), even though it may look like a long discovered one (e.g. N. rowanae). Personally I like the shape, nature (pitcher switching etc) and mysteries surrounding it. It only grows on one island in Thailand. Don't know it Nong is TCing them yet, but I know rizhome cutting seems to be a pretty good method for these ones. Some ppl also like to collect tubby Neps.

Someone's just informed me that the red peristome mirabilis may be a rowanae.

 

[shokuchuu]

"Viking" has been formally described and named, so it is a new species - depending on which taxonomists one agrees with, of course.

Great photos Jason, thanks for sharing!

Cheers
Amori

 

[Jason Wong]

Quote[/b] (shokuchuu @ Feb. 09 2006,7:12)]"Viking" has been formally described and named, so it is a new species - depending on which taxonomists one agrees with, of course.

Great photos Jason, thanks for sharing!

Cheers
Amori

Ah really? Weird, then why do they still say 'hybrid' on the CITIES papers.

 

[emilias_garden]

<span style='color:teal'>Hello!

As far as i have been said, N. Viking is in the last details of process to be scientificly described and formally named. Its  name is Nepenthes globosa.

Besides of the strange changes of its beautiful form and its strange changes of color, what i really like about this plant is its History, the mistery related with  this plant origins and location and its survivance from the tsunami. You know the story behing that plant

Anyways, if you want to have a good and, as much as posible, complete or semi-complete collection of Nep's, the arriving of a new species into the market is so tempting to let it pass by

Cheers,
Jorge Joel...
Emilia's Garden</span>

 

[brutal]

Hi!
This is why its called N.Viking:

its easy to see why the fischerman was thinking of the Vikingship when he found them...

 

[Jason Wong]

I doubt the name viking will ever go out of use...ppl don't like to change. I don't think the taxonomist system permits the use of 'viking' as a scientific name?

Yeah, esp. in Thailand (many fishermen)

one would definetely recall the shape of a 'viking'.

 

[Trent]

I knew the Vikings made it as far as North America, but didn't know they made it all the way to Thailand.

I believe the name originated with Nong's friend who was among the first to start seriously growing them, and created the grading system-Klom, Paan, Long Necks. In Nong's interview, this gentleman mentions how the shape reminded him of Viking ships.
It will be given a scientific name very soon...it have been published already. I'm sure the Viking term will remain in use in horticutural circles. We would like to see select cultivars of Vikings be given cultivar names, like 'Viking Glory' or 'Viking Royale' and so on.

 

[brutal]

Yea, thats really nice names...

Viking royale...

 

[Jason Wong]

Quote[/b] (Trent @ Feb. 14 2006,11:55)]We would like to see select cultivars of Vikings be given cultivar names, like 'Viking Glory' or 'Viking Royale' and so on.

That would be a real hit. What with that shape, that colour already. Not to mention the effect on the business...

 

[brutal]

I will never call them anything else...

 

[rbjong]

"I knew the Vikings made it as far as North America, but didn't know they made it all the way to Thailand."  Trent

ha...ha..ha...Robert

a neps nick name "lopisiana"
Last month there was a photographic slide show by one local on pitcher plant of Borneo.Many invited guests and nature interest groups attended. The show was important for him to showcase his 15 years of pitchers photography and also to celebrate his award as fellowship "FRPS" by the Royal photographic society of England. Every species was explained in details and specific in location,origins of the name "monkey cup"-when the first group of chinese settlers first sighted monkey drinking from the pitcher they do not know the strange looking plant,hence the nick name, when mirabilis popped up suddenly one fella exclaimed "oh that should be lopisiana"

Reason: it is so common along roadside ( lopi = local slang for side of road )

Robert