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About
Nepenthes *albomarginata* is a tropical climbing pitcher plant native to Borneo, Peninsular Malaysia, and Sumatra. It is characterized by a distinct white band of trichomes visible below the peristome. The plant is notable for its specialization in trapping termites.
Field notes
Morphology
This climbing plant has coriaceous leaves that completely lack a petiole, with the lamina being lanceolate and up to 25 cm long. The stem can reach lengths of up to 4 meters. Lower pitchers are bulbous in the basal third and cylindrical above, featuring a pair of fringed wings and a peristome that bears indistinct teeth. A key feature is the dense band of short white trichomes located directly below the peristome. Upper pitchers are cylindrical-infundibular and possess a pair of ribs instead of wings. The plant also produces a racemose inflorescence.
Distribution & habitat
It is widespread across Borneo, Peninsular Malaysia, and Sumatra, and has also been recorded on smaller islands like Nias and Penang. Its altitudinal range is broad, spanning from sea level up to 1200 meters. The plant thrives in habitats such as kerangas forest, and has been observed growing on peat and limestone substrates.
Ecology
The species is unique among *Nepenthes* for its specialization in trapping termites, a behavior noted by botanists. This specialization is linked to a unique morphological feature: a rim of living white trichomes below the peristome. These trichomes are believed to lure termites, and the plant is noted as the only species to offer its own tissue as bait. Termites are captured when they graze on the rim and subsequently fall into the pitchers.
History & etymology
The species was first collected by Thomas Lobb in 1848 and was formally described by John Lindley a year later. It was introduced into cultivation in the United Kingdom in 1856. In 1996, it was given the vernacular name white-collared pitcher-plant, though this name was later dropped.
Habitat
- Altitude
- 0–1,100 m
- Altitude Class
- intermediate
- Native To
- Borneo, Sumatra, Malaysia
- IUCN Status
- Least Concern
Taxonomy
- Described
- 1849
- Authority
- T.Lobb ex Lindl.
Cultivation
- Difficulty
- intermediate
- Temperature
- Day 28–35°C / Night 20–28°C
- Humidity
- 70–95%
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