Nepenthes aristolochioides (Nepenthes aristolochioides)

Mohamed bin Zayed Species project number 200523298

Population and Habitat Assessment of Most Rarest, Endemic and Critically Endangered of Pitcher Plant (Nepenthes aristolochioides) in Sumatran.

Population

Based on observations, The numbers of individuals that had recorded from the field are twelve and one natural hybrids of Nepenthes aristolochioides that found in the Mt. tujuh at Table 1. This amount is very small if be compared to the IUCN data year 2013 (60 mature inviduals). Three of the four subpopulations occur on and slightly below the tops of steep ridges, growing in both mossy forest and in more open vegetation on the steepest slopes just below the ridge line and growing with together Nepenthes singalana. The fourth subpopulation grows separate and grows on steep slopes along close to a fallen tree the pitcher plant this is terrestrial, but some are known to be epiphytic in mossy forest.

At an altitude 2000-2100 in montane forest on the shoreline of a crater lake and near of subpopulation the N. aristolochioides, other Nepenthes species this mountain as Nepenthes gymnamphora can be found. where, this plants climb and rosette among shrubs  in the forest. The funnel shaped and the upper pitchers be found. The one natural hybrid between Nepenthes aristolochioides with Nepenthes singalana had been found, according to our assumption it is a natural hybrid. the mouth of it was nearly vertical and and the rosette pitcher was green growing in shrubs and sphagnum moss

 

Habitat Assessment

In the montane forest of mount tujuh the N. aristolochioides commonly found between 2200-2400 m a.s.l. Table 2 showed the result of composition of plants species in the plot. Overall, the plot sensus of observations composition of the plants from with Mt. Tujuh, Kerinci Seblat National Park yielded a total of 26 families, 31 species and 409 occurrences in the habitat of N. aristolochioides. The plot ranged in altitude 2200-2400 m a.s.l. Thirty one species in the habitat were distributed in the six subplot which were variant in the importance value. The species with highest importance value and dominant species on each subplot were shown as follows with Sphagnum were distributed the typical mossy forest in the very top on the ground. On the other point, the trees, Orchidaceae, small trees and Pteridophytes is also intervene establish of the habitat it.

 

Type of forest and species based on altitudinal distribution 

The vegetation type of the plant on the habitat of carnivorous plant generally, is characterized by trees in the families the mossy forest with Sphagnaceae (48.90 %) Orchidaceae (11 %), Pteridophytes (4.52 %), small trees (3,17 %) and the tress (0.89 %) that in the area of plot with the basal area is 200 m². The results of this study almost show resemblances to obtained from Joachim Nerz (1998), this species is growth in mossy forest, climbing in shrubs and small trees in Mount tujuh, Central of Sumatra.

In addition the typical N. singalana which Jebb and Cheek described it as a distinct species: N. diatas in the Northern part of Sumatra, growing in the same habitat as N. aristolochioides. Single plants can also be found at somewhat lower altitudes at open places and it found climbing up into the tree. Nerz (1998) make clear, Nepenthes singalana grows in the same habitat with Nepenthes aristolochioides, growing usually quite small and gracile, but single plants can also be found at somewhat lower altitudes at open places. 

 

Habitat Condition

The habitat condition of this species present ridge with the side of brink an extreme edge of brink a steep. The western and eastern slopes are very steep. According to local people, this species commonly can be found in the top montane forest of Mount tujuh. But, when the Team accessed Gunung Tujuh (type habitat) to do observation, the major of threat it is evident that on the habitat of this species had been occurred a landslide, which has removed some habitat and population those species.

The worst is over collected this species by the hobbies and plant collectors  that threatened the pitchers plant in that location. Only four sub-population numbers with small number of mature plant discovered. The population of Nepenthes in nature continues to decline due to forest fires, mining (gold and coal), conversion of forest to agricultural land or plantations and overexploitation for commercial purposes. Ex-situ conservation needs to be carried out immediately by means of domestication through cultivation and breeding mechanisms in order to remain sustainable, considering that all types of Nepenthes in Indonesia are protected by Law no. 5 of 1990, PP No. 7 of 1999 and PP No. 8 of 1999 (Mansur, 2006; Hernawati et al., 2007).