Nepenthes truncata |
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Description
The highland form of Nepenthes truncata has been found
only in the most remote areas of the large Phillippine island of Mindanao,
where it grows alongside a unusual and giant form of highland Nepenthes
alata. It inhabits steep moss-covered banks and cliff faces at altitudes
of approximately 1,700m (6,000 feet). This form of Nepenthes truncata
differs from the common lowland form in several respects. Most strikingly,
the entire plant is covered with short stiff hairs, almost like bristles.
Also, the coloration of the pitchers varies enormously, from various
shades of orange and red through to dark purple and even black (see
photographs on this page).
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To the best of our knowledge an all-green form is
unknown. Finally, the size of the pitchers can exceed that of even
lowland Nepenthes truncata, making it one of the largest pitchering
of all Nepenthes species, rivaling Nepenthes rajah and Nepenthes merrilliana.
Some of the photographs on this page speak for themselves.
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Cultivation
This species is really quite easy to cultivate if treated
as a typical highlander. No extreme conditions are required other than
high light levels since in it's natural habitat it is exposed to full
sun. We grow it in temperatures ranging from 12 deg. C at night to 25
deg. C during the day, although it may well tolerate temperatures outside
that range. With sufficient light levels, a pitcher-height to leaf-length
ratio of greater than 1:1 may be achieved, as can be seen on some of
the photographs on this page.
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We have
only ever observed one plant of the amazing 'black' coloration in the wild, and since
we absolutely never remove plants from their natural habitat, as far
as we know, it still remains on the top of the cliff where we originally
found it although the entire area has since been deforested. The habitat photographs on this page were taken 11 years ago when
the plant was not yet mature, being only about 1.5m (4 feet) in diameter.
We sometimes wonder what it would look like today!However, this amazing form of Nepenthes truncata is being introduced
to cultivation for the very first time and is now believed to be extinct in the wild due to deforestation. There are only 7 mature plants in cultivition,all raised from seed but we have succeeded in breeding this wonderful plant and are currently raising many thousands of seedlings which will be available
through our network of distributors in late 2009.
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