5. Nepenthes anamensis Macfarl.

Nepenthes anamensis Macfarl. in Engl., Pflanzenr. 36 (1908) 39. – Nepenthes micholitzii Hort. ex Bonst. Parey Blumeng. 1 (1931) 663. – Type: Micholitz s.n. (lecto, designated here. K; iso K x 2), Vietnam, Anam, Lang Bean.

Nepenthes geoffrayi Lecomte, Not. Syst. 1 (1909) 62. – Syntypes: Geoffray 84-88, 91-93 (all P), Cambodia, Kampot, 14 Sep 1903.

Nepenthes kampotiana Lecomte, Not. Syst. 1 (1909) 62. – Syntypes: Geoffray 89 (P, photo K), 90 (P, photo K), 191 (P), Cambodia, Kampot.

Distribution – Peninsular Thailand and Cambodia to Vietnam

Ecology – Moist montane woodland, 1500 m altitude.

Notes – 1. The collection selected as lectotype is the only one cited in the protologue, and the sheet chosen of the three available is that annotated by Macfarlane.

2. The type material of N. geoffrayi comprises lower pitchers, and rather slender, short inflorescences. The material of N. kampotiana on the other hand is of upper pitchers and somewhat more robust and with much elongated inflorescences. We have not lectotypified this material, since it comprises somewhat fragmented collections, and no inflorescence is actually attached to leaf or stem material. These species remain poorly known and more studies are needed. In particular the relationship between N. anamensis and the other endemic Indochinese species, N. thorelii.

Selected collections – Thailand. Kanchanadit, Surat, Kerr 13141 (K); Loei, Phu Kradung, Chantaranothai, Parnell & Simpson 90/158 (K,TCD). – Cambodia. Gougaud s. n. (P n.v., photo K). – Vietnam. Talmy (P); Anam, Lang Bian, Micholitz s.n. (Type).

76. Nepenthes thorelii Lecomte.

Nepenthes thorelii Lecomte, Not. Syst. 1, 2 (1909) 63. – Type: Thorel 1032 (lecto, designated here, P; iso P, BO), Vietnam, Guia-Toan, Lo-thieu, Ti-tinh.

Terrestrial shrub with large perennial rootstock producing annual shoots in the wet season. Rootstock irregularly branched to 2 cm thick. Stem erect, to 40 cm high, terete, 0.4-0.8 cm in diameter. Leaves linear lanceolate to narrowly obovate; 12-26 x 1.8-3 cm; apex acute to acuminate; base amplexicaul inserted at an acute angle, and decurrent to stem for 1-2.5 cm, ultimately rounded, these basal wings almost meeting on opposite side of stem; longitudinal veins 2-4 on each side of midrib, arising from along the midrib; pennate nerves numerous curving towards the apex. Lower pitchers ovoid; to 11.5 x 4.5 cm; wings broad, 5-8 mm, with fringe elements 2-5 mm, c. 2 mm apart; the mouth ovate-triangular, oblique, concave; peristome rounded at front, 2-4 mm across, towards lid to 7 mm across, ribs 0.25-0.4 mm apart, the inner margin with rounded teeth 0.2-0.5 mm long; spur simple, 2-4 mm; lid ovate to rounded, 2-3.5 x 2-2.8 cm, the glands prominently lipped, dense and numerous near base of midline, 0.3-0.7 mm across there, c. 0.15 mm across towards margin and not so dense. Upper pitcher borne on uncoiled tendril; obovate, narrowed towards mouth; to 12.5 x 4.5 cm; wings narrow, 1-1.5 mm broad, with very sparse (3-7 mm apart), acuminate fringe elements 1-1.5 mm long; mouth oblique, concave; peristome rounded, 3-5 mm across, outer margin regularly sinuate; lid as in lower pitcher. Inflorescence a raceme; 8-18 cm long; borne on a tall erect rhachis 50-70 cm long; partial peduncles 1-flowered pedicels 3-6 mm long, with or without a short bract. Indumentum of simple or branched hairs 0.3-0.4 mm long. Colour of pitchers light green with reddish markings, lid reddish, indumentum white.

Distribution – Vietnam.

Ecology – Seasonally dry savannah grassland; sea level to 200 m.

Notes – 1. The male specimen at Paris, with lower pitchers, is selected as the lectotype. The Paris isotype is a female plant with upper pitchers.

2. There are problems with the delimitation of this species, N. anamensis and N. smilesii (see Little Known Taxa). All three species share narrow linear leaves with clasping leaf bases. The limits of variation of these two species is not yet understood, and N. anamensis may occupy similar habitats to N. thorelii. Nepenthes thorelii appears to be a plant of seasonally dry grassland, surviving as a dormant rootstock during the dry season when fires burn out the above ground vegetation. Besides its perennating habit, N. thorelii is characterised by the non-coiling tendrils of the upper pitchers, and its tall inflorescence, which rises over a metre above the ground.

Collection – Vietnam.Guia-Toan, Lo-thieu, Ti-tinh, Thorel 1032 (Type).

(in "LITTLE KNOWN TAXA")

5. Nepenthes smilesii Hemsl., Kew Bull. (1895) 116. – Smiles s.n. (K), Thailand, Baw Saw, Nam Kawng.

Note – Danser (1928) synonymised this species with N. mirabilis. Whilst the margin of the specimen at Kew does have a sparsely fimbriate margin, the venation is very atypical for N. mirabilis. In some characters this specimen demonstrates links to N. anamensis and N. thorelii, and without further material its inclusion with N. mirabilis seems premature.