10 



TAB. 8. 



"1 



NEPENTHES AMPULLARIA 



SPOTTED PITCHER PLANT. 



Nepenthes Ampullaria, caule basi repente suroulos urniferos promente demiim erecto foliifero, cirrhis 

 foliorum muticis, ascidiis petiolatis confertis ovatis iiuOlalis andce membranaceo-alaLls ore coaixtato sub- 

 rotimdo striate, operculo lanceolato reJlexo poslice tricuspide. Jack in I. c. p. 23. 



Found along with the preceding in the forests of Singapore, also at Rhio on the island of Bintang. 



Root fibrous. Stem repent at the base, becoming erect, and supporting itself on the neighbouring trees, 

 round, covered with a deciduous ferruginous down, urn-bearing at the base, and leaf-bearing above. The 

 urn-bearing shoots or suckers are short, and spring from the repent part of the stem; they are entirely 

 sheathed by the crowded, petioles of the urns, which are dilated and amplexicaul at the base. The urns or 

 ascidia are supported on short straight petioles; they are erect, ovate, inflated, green and spotted with purple, 

 furnished anteriorly with two longitudinal membranaceous fimbriated wings; mouth somewhat contracted, 

 striated, of a uniform yellowish green colour, and nearly round, the inverted margin being proiono-ed farther 

 into the interior of the cup than in the other species. The Operculum is lanceolate-oblong, generally reilexed, 

 tricuspid lichind the hiiige. It opens at an early stage, and as the urn enlarges, it becomes much too smalt 

 to reclose it. The Leaves come on the erect part of the stem, and are alternate, subpetiolate, lanceolate, from 

 eight to twelve. .inches in length, very entire, somewhat reflex at the margin, smooth above, covered with a 

 ferruginous tomentum beneath, particularly on the nerves, terminating at the apex in a tendril which is 

 generally thickened and revolute at the extremity ; the lower ones have sometimes urns similar to those at the 

 base of the stem. The Racemes arc at first terminal, and afterwards as in the other species lateral and 

 oppositifolious, erect, pyramidal, many-flowered; the lower pedicels 3-4 flowered, the upper one-flowered. 

 The Bracts are linear, acute, and villous hke the raceme. : , 



MALE. Califx four^ijarted, flat, ferruginously tomentose without, green and smooth within, seoinents 

 ovate, rather acute, t^vo opposite ones larger. Corolla none. Stamineous column central, erect, nearly as Ion 

 as the calyx. Anthers about eight, yellow, twb-ccUed, compacted into a globular head. 



FEMALE. Cahjx the same as in the male. Ovarium superior, oblong, erect, four-sided. Style none 

 Stigma peltate, four-lobcd. Capsule oblong, narrow at both ends, four-angled, four-celled, four-valved, man 

 seeded, valves septiferous. Seeds linear, paleaceous. 



Ohs. This species difl"ers strikingly in habit from the others in having the urns crowded near the surface 

 of the ground. They are also very dillerent in shape, being somewhat of the form and size of an e-o- 

 inflated hke a bladder, and the membrane thinner and more delicate than in tlie other species. The inve ^^d 

 rim is broad, and projects far into the cavity of the cup, forming a trap, in which numbers of l\^^2^A 

 insects are taken, Jach in L c. p. 26. 



g 



