photo used with permission from Exotica Plants
photo used with permission from Exotica Plants
photo used with permission from Exotica Plants
N. clipeata X eymae lower pitcher (photo from Exotica Plants)
photo used with permission from Exotica Plants
The real N. clipeata (photo from Exotica Plants)
I purchased this plant a few years back because it was being sold as N. clipeata. The first ones were small size 3's that became available for around $60.00 I think. Then a few larger ones hit the market, and I bought one of those as well. It wasn't until recently that the N. clipeatas marketed at that time were considered hybrids to be N. clipeata x (N.clipeata x N. eymae). Sunbelle Exotics got in contact with Exotica Plants to try and explain the differences between the hybrid and the real N. clipeata and this is what they responded with: "When we received the small plants it was quite evident by their leaves at the plant being about 3" across that they were not the real thing. We have mature flowering plants now and although they are close they are not N.clipeata. I know with complex hybrids, the genes can swing around all over the place and providing there is more than one clone that is cultured, there is bound to be plants nearly undistinguishable from N.clipeata. From our experience the true species(we have a Wistuba clone) the leaves give them away when small. What we have observed is that the true species looks very similar to small N.rajah and the peltate leaf development is also very similar to this species. I believe Cantley's N.clipeata x (clipeata x eymae) came from Germany and was due to a mix up in pollination at the Munich botanical gardens. This info was from a personal communication with either Charles Clarke or Ch'ien Lee. I am not sure what John De Kanel's source is." So it is apparent to Exotica Plants that this plant is indeed a hybrid. There still seems to be some confusion as to how many JDK clones are in tissue culture. Maybe some other clone lines may be the real N. clipeata. But as for now, the Nepenthes Nursery seems to be the source for true N. clipeata. (All photos and information were used with permission from Exotica Plants.)
RATING
highlander / lowlander / intermediate
Cultivation: easy; moderate grower outdoors, probably
easy as a lowlander too; grows quicker than my other N. clipeatas from Germany
Market availablility: size 3 to larger plants;
available
Species variability: probably some color variation
from different seed grown plants
$ / size: moderate $30.00 and up
Cuttings: none available for trade
Sex: unknown