4 



J. M. Macfarlane. — Nepenthaceae. 



cylindrical, but may be sharply Irigonous as in N. tentaculata and N. Bongso, or 3 — 4- 

 gonous as in N. gracilis, where the wings from one leaf above may be prolonged 

 downward along the angles of the axis for 5 — 8 cm to meet the next leaf below. 

 The young stem and branches are often clothed with a dense pubescence of a ferru- 

 ginous or more rarely of a pale hue. This usually is shed within a few weeks, though 

 it may persist for a much longer period as in N. hirsuta. Many of the species develop 



alluring honey glands (p. \ 4) on the 

 young annual shoots. These glands 

 appear as small papillae in the centre 

 of a circular or elliptic area, and 

 may be of a crimson hue. They 

 are never abundant, are usually 

 scattered, but may be prominent in 

 N bicalcarata etc. 



As in the Sarraceniaceae , so 

 in the Nepenthaceae, the cotyledo- 

 nary leaves are green, and are re- 

 tained within the albumen of the 

 seed tili this is absorbed. The coty- 

 ledons in both families closely re- 

 semble each other, but those of the 

 Nepenthaceae are typically elliptic 

 (Fig. \A). As in the Sarraceniaceae 

 they are succeeded by pitchered 

 seedling leaves, of which 8 — 10 that 

 resemble each other may be formed 

 as a little rosette on the ground. 

 Each becomes increasingly longer 

 than its predecessor (Fig. \ J9, C) 

 and, as emphasized by Hooker 

 andDickson, they suggest decided 

 affinity with leaves of Sarracenia. 

 They are still more nearly related 

 to those of Heliamphora. Each of 

 the 6 to 8 leaves first produced 

 consists of a sheathing petiolar rib 

 that is gradually prolonged upward 

 into a broad laminar midrib whose 

 upper extremity is hollowed out from 

 above downward. The petiolar rib 

 bears lateral wings that broaden out 

 and are continued upward as lami- 

 nar expansions of the midrib. The 

 front or ventral part of the laminar 

 midrib is somewhat flat and bears 

 the laminar expansions on either 

 side, so that the pitcher appears as 

 a hollow appendage to the under sur- 

 face (Fig. { C, D). As development 

 proves, the pitcher is an inpouching 

 from the upper surface of the leaf near its apex. But by transverse growth in front 

 of and below the pitcher oriflce the laminar expansions may form a peltate union, as 

 described by Hooker and by Dickson, and as observed by the writer in three sets of 

 hybrids. Goebel however failed to notice such a peltation in specimens studied by him. 



Fig. \. Seedlings of Nepenthes. A Cotyledonary stage. 

 B Seedling with first piteher-leaves. C Later stage. 

 D Early seedling leaf. JE Tenth leaf from cotyledons. 

 F Transition leaf between early seedling and adult 

 leaf; a petiole, b lamina, c pitcher with wings. d lid 

 or operculum. (Icon. orig.) 



