Nepenthes clipeata facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Nepenthes clipeata |
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| Nepenthes clipeata plant and pitcher in the Bogor Botanical Gardens | |
| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Nepenthaceae |
| Genus: | Nepenthes |
| Species: |
N. clipeata
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| Binomial name | |
| Nepenthes clipeata Danser (1928)
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| Distribution of N. clipeata. | |
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Nepenthes clipeata is a very special tropical pitcher plant. It is also known as the shield-leaved pitcher-plant. Its name comes from the Latin word clipeus, which means "round shield," because of its unique leaf shape.
This plant is found only on the steep, almost straight-up granite cliffs of Mount Kelam. This mountain is located in West Kalimantan, Indonesia. It grows at heights between about 600 and 800 meters (about 2,000 to 2,600 feet) above sea level.
Nepenthes clipeata is one of the most endangered Nepenthes species. In 1995, experts thought there were only about 15 plants left in the wild.
Contents
Discovering the Shield-Leaved Pitcher Plant
Nepenthes clipeata was first found in 1894 by a scientist named Johannes Gottfried Hallier. He climbed Mount Kelam five times between January 30 and February 13 of that year.
Hallier wrote about his amazing discovery. His notes were later included in a book by B. H. Danser in 1928. Here is a simple summary of what Hallier described:
After climbing a very steep slope, he reached a high rock wall. This wall looked like it was made from one giant rock. A 45-meter (about 148-foot) long ladder made of rattan was set up against this wall. It was only tied at the bottom, middle, and top. The rest of the ladder hung freely against the stone.
Just above the middle of the ladder, there was a small patch of soil. It was just enough space to stand and rest. Both here and at the top of the ladder, Hallier found a Nepenthes plant with very large pitchers. The bottom part of these pitchers was shaped like a jug. This shape helped them hold a lot of water. It also made it hard for insects that fell inside to escape, thanks to the narrow opening.
What Makes Nepenthes clipeata Unique?
Nepenthes clipeata has very special leaves. The tendril, which is like a stem that holds the pitcher, joins the underside of the leaf blade. This happens before the very tip of the leaf. This is called a peltate leaf.
The pitchers of this plant are large. They can grow up to 30 centimeters (about 12 inches) tall. They are round at the bottom and become slightly funnel-shaped at the top. This plant only makes one type of pitcher. Its main stem does not climb very high, reaching only about 2 meters (6.5 feet) long.
The plant's flowers grow on a small stalk called an inflorescence. This stalk is usually less than 25 centimeters (10 inches) long. The entire plant is covered with many long, brown hairs.
B. H. Danser, who wrote about this species, said that N. clipeata is one of the most unusual and striking plants in its group. He noted its almost round leaves, thick tendrils, and unique pitcher shape without wings. He thought the plant likely grew against the straight walls of Mount Kelam. This would make its leaves stand vertically with the pitchers behind them.
No different forms or types of N. clipeata have been found or named.
Protecting This Critically Endangered Plant
During the 1980s, many plant collectors started visiting Mount Kelam. This put a lot of stress on the wild N. clipeata plants. Local guides also began collecting plants for their villages. Many of these collected plants did not survive, leading to more being taken from the wild.
Other problems for the plant's habitat included the El Niño weather event from 1997 to 1998. This caused droughts and forest fires. All these factors together caused a quick drop in the number of N. clipeata plants on Mount Kelam.
In 1995, it was believed that only about 15 plants were left in the wild. By 2001, some experts thought there were only 2 to 6 plants remaining. However, a study in 2010 found 260 plants. These plants were scattered across Mount Kelam at heights between 749 and 874 meters. The study noted that most of these plants grew on cliffs that were hard to reach. In 2016, another expedition found only seven specimens.
Even though it is very rare, N. clipeata is listed on CITES Appendix II. This means its trade is controlled to prevent it from disappearing. Until recently, the IUCN considered it "Data Deficient," meaning there wasn't enough information to know its true status. Now, it is listed as "Critically Endangered."
Many people believe there is little hope for this species to survive in the wild long-term. Because of this, the Nepenthes clipeata Survival Project (NcSP) was started. This project helps with ex situ conservation, which means growing the plants outside their natural habitat. There are only a few different genetic types of legally collected plants grown by people.
There is also an ongoing project to protect N. clipeata in its natural home (in situ conservation). This project started in 2011 and is supported by The Rufford Small Grants Foundation.
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In 2010, the Rare Nepenthes Collection was created. Its goal is to save four of the most threatened Nepenthes species. These include N. aristolochioides, N. clipeata, N. khasiana, and N. rigidifolia.
Natural Hybrids of Nepenthes clipeata
Sometimes, different types of Nepenthes plants can cross-breed in nature. This creates new plants called natural hybrids. The following natural hybrids involving N. clipeata have been found:
- N. albomarginata × N. clipeata
- N. clipeata × N. rafflesiana
- N. clipeata × N. reinwardtiana
