hairy Nepenthes hamata or Nepenthes edwardsiana?

[Soopaman]

LOL. I think you may be onto something. That is one Monkey Cup that most monkey's wouldn't dare try to steal from.

Without observing the natural habitat, I can't really see any other reason for it.

However, I do find it curious that the toothed Nepenthes (aside from Nepenthes bicalcarata, which is fanged), only occur in high elevations. The four major toothed, Nepenthes hamata, Nepenthes edwardsiana, Nepenthes villosa, and Nepenthes macrophylla are all in very high elevations (especially Nepenthes villosa, which to me, has the most pronounced toothed peristome). I'd like the chance to investigate the circumstances surrounding this development.

[dashman]

Unless you have a time machine, it would probably be a futile attempt. Observing modern day conditions to base an opinion on is to assume nothing has changed.

[Soopaman]

Unless you have a time machine, it would probably be a futile attempt. Observing modern day conditions to base an opinion on is to assume nothing has changed.

Evolution is always in action.

But what I meant was I don't know what other organisms are in the environment that these Nepenthes grow in that may have take advantage of opportunities offered by food sitting around in a cup, I assume it isn't just monkeys.

[swords]

Quote:

Originally Posted by swords
N. edwardsiana for sure. Been wanting it since I first saw it over 10 years ago. To me no other Nepenthes looks as prehistoric.

Which is funny because it is fairly new...

Merely the impression I get looking at the plant, *******!

Why would anyone pay $75+ for a N. hamata when they're $30 for small plants? I would only pay more for it on a cutting that I didn't have to wait for it to grow up.

[dsrtfox1942]

Think of it this way though. If a monkey sticks it's hand into a pitcher to fish out a snack, only to be caught by sharp inward facing teeth, the monkey will surely rip off, at the minimum, the pitcher and possibly destroy the whole plant essentially committing suicide. So, I believe this is not the reason for these teeth. Besides, if I believed in evolution, wouldn't nearly all of the Nepenthes have evolved this way, since monkeys are prevalent in nearly all tropical locations where these plants grow? Yet today we only have 4 very well known toothy species, Nepenthes hamata, Nepenthes edwardsiana, Nepenthes macrophylla and Nepenthes villosa. I do not wish to start a discussion on evolution, this is simply my thought. Look at Nepenthes lowii upper pitcher shape and nectar. Surly there must be a direct environmental cause for these pitchers to have teeth, just as Nepenthes lowii has these characteristics, but I do not think it is for defense, at least not from monkeys.

---------- Post added at 01:29 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:27 AM ----------

Merely the impression I get looking at the plant, *******!

Why would anyone pay $75+ for a N. hamata when they're $30 for small plants? I would only pay more for it on a cutting that I didn't have to wait for it to grow up.

I'd like to see your source for $30 Nepenthes hamata ......

I shopped and shopped and waited, and finally just ordered from AW. With shipping and exchange rate it came out to $70. This was the cheapest I have found in recent times.

[swords]

Eh, I always forget it's in Euros! LOL

I've never ordered just one from overseas, make it worth it and order a boxful Don't know if he still gives free shipping on orders of 250 EUROS or more but I will be finding out soon enough.

[dashman]

@swords. Sorry. I wasn't trying to tick you off. I read your reply and something sparked in my mind that recalled that I had read somewhere that Nepenthes edwardsiana was thought to be a relatively new species. Low and behold, I found the excerpt on wikipedia. But to tell you the truth, my first impression of N. edwardsiana was also that of a primordial example of Nepenthes.

[swords]

LOL It's not a big deal - that's why I put the rolling smiley and wrote my observation in E-prime "to me it looks to be the most prehistoric." It's merely my personal perception when looking at that plant that my mind relates big things (the big teeth and pitchers) to prehistoric times when reptiles, bugs and other things I tend to think of as bigger than they are nowadays.