David Wong

The Carnivorous Plant Web

Welcome to the Nepenthes Photography of:

David Wong

Special thanks to David Wong for sharing the efforts of many years and many trips to South-East Asia with us. I know no matter how many photos of a species I see, there is always that nagging question of whether there will be one more growing tip to get from seeing another picture. Habitat description gives us the kind of information we need for successful culture. David's work will help us do a better job growing our plants by showing where different species grow in the wild and what conditions they need to grow well.

Nepenthes Hookeriana near Mersing, Malaysia

Photograph by David Wong

Nepenthes gracilis

Nepenthes gracilis

Left: an excellent illustration of the open, twining nature of a fully developed N. gracilis plant.

On the right a gracilis flower spike with maturing fruits distributes the next generation on the wind.

Nepenthes seed depends upon wind dispersal as do many orchids and other epiphytes. Endosperm tissue is reduced to a minimum to keep the seed light enough to float on the breeze.

N. gracilis fruiting body

N. gracilis var. giant form

There are different types of relationship between ants and various species of pitcher plants. Ants love to scramble around on the pitcher lid where precarious footing means they often become the next prey item on the menu. Ants are the principle prey of some Nepenthes species. They are attracted by nectar secreted from special glands on the lower surface of the pitcher lid. From that slippery surface they often fall directly into the pool below where they drown and are then digested..

Other kinds of relationship exist. Some Nepenthes species provide lodging for an entire ant colony in the tendril which supports a pitcher. Ants of this species raid the pitchers for food. Mosquito larvae, which are immune to the digestive enzymes, live in the digestive liquid in the pitchers. These are captured live and eaten or taken back to the nest. The ants are able to walk up and down the interior walls and even swim in the digestive fluid of the traps with no harmfull effects.

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