N. ventricosa X ephippiata
purchase date: 04 / 09
arrived as a size 3
plant origin: Exotica Plants
photo taken:  08 / 09

Nepenthes ventricosa X ephippiata is an Exotica Plants hybrid between two highlanders. This is the first hybrid using N. ephippiata that I know of. Exotica Plants also used their male N. ephippiata to release N. truncata X ephippiata as well. My plants are still small but settling in nicely. There seems to be a little variation with some of the plants. At this stage, some of the pitchers are more squat while others are more elongated. Some have more striping in the peristome as well. The real differences will become evident as they reach maturity. This should quite a popular cross so photos should be cropping up in the various forums of other growers' plants. Similar hybrids to compare to will be N. ventricosa X lowii, N. ventricosa X trusmadiensis, and N. lowii X ventricosa. All of those hybrids are vigorous growers and do well in a variety of conditions so I would expect N. ventricosa X ephippiata to be the same.  

Cultivation: moderate grower outdoors, easy to look after, grows like a N. ventricosa
Market availability: size 3; available as of 6 / 09
Species variability: some among the seed grown plants 
$ / size: moderate to expensive: $40.00 to $80.00 
Cuttings: none available for trade
Sex: unknown