Nepenthes maxima, Minggre, Arfak Mountains, Papua

Large cluster of pitcher plants up in a tree. Note that Nepenthes maxima is a species complex with many sub species and hybrids.

comments (4)

Christine Young

Lion

Wow! It would be so fun to look in all those pitchers to see what insects are inside. Posted one year ago, modified one year ago
1. Ferdy Christant
  
  Lion
  
  I wonder if the insects fully dissolve? Posted one year ago
2. 1. Christine Young
    
    Lion
    
    I think it would depend on the species of Nepenthes and the prey they were trying to dissolve. A soft caterpillar or slug would be easier to digest than an insect with a really big, hard exoskeleton, like a beetle. Some Nepenthes have chitinases (enzymes that can dissolve the chitin in an arthropod's exoskeleton). I would imagine that if you looked in most pitchers, there would be some exoskeleton remains and undigested junk in the bottom. Posted one year ago
  2. 1. Ferdy Christant
      
      Lion
      
      That makes sense, thank you! Posted one year ago

The Great Pitcher-Plant

"Nepenthes maxima", the great pitcher-plant, is a carnivorous pitcher plant species of the genus "Nepenthes". It has a relatively wide distribution covering New Guinea, Sulawesi, and the Maluku Islands. It may also be present on Wowoni Island.

Info 7 0

Similar species: Pinks, Cactuses, And Allies

Species identified by Ferdy Christant