Nepenthes adnata

Endangered species of pitcher plant from Sumatra

Nepenthes adnata /n//ᵻ/'/p//ɛ//n//θ//iː//z// //æ//d/'/n//ɑː//t//ə/ is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to the Indonesian province of West Sumatra, where it grows at elevations of 600 to 1200 m above sea level. The specific epithet adnata is Latin for "broadly attached" and refers to the base of the lamina.

Nepenthes adnata was first collected by Willem Meijer on August 24, 1957. The holotype, Meijer 6941, was collected on that date near the river Tjampo, east of Payakumbuh, Taram, West Sumatra, at an elevation of 1000 m. It is deposited at the National Herbarium of the Netherlands in Leiden. The species was first described in 1986 by Mitsuru Hotta and Rusjdi Tamin based on specimens the authors collected near Harau in West Sumatra. However, the description was invalid as it lacked a Latin diagnosis. This was provided eight years later by Jan Schlauer. The lid or operculum is orbicular and cordate at the base. Multicellular hairs are sometimes present on its upper surface. An unbranched spur (≤2 mm long) is inserted at the base of the lid. The species has an altitudinal distribution of 600 to 1200 m above sea level. It grows on mossy sandstone cliff faces amongst dense vegetation. The habitat is moist and receives diffused sunlight. In its natural habitat, the species occurs sympatrically with N. tenuis and grows in close proximity to N. albomarginata, N. ampullaria, N. eustachya, N. gracilis, N. longifolia, and N. reinwardtiana. Despite this, N. adnata has no known natural hybrids. However, Charles Clarke does not support this interpretation, stating that the similarities between the two species are probably coincidental and that the closest relatives of N. adnata "are more likely to be other Sumatran species such as N. gymnamphora, N. longifolia or N. albomarginata." He collected N. adnata on August 24 together with the type material of N. tenuis and the first known specimen of N. longifolia.