Rare Nepenthes endemic at Kerinci Seblat National Park

A Snake Head in Kerinci Seblat

by Trubuson

N. aristolochioides: very rare out in nature

Wuhuuu!' exclaimed Alfindra Primaldhi breaking the silence of the forest at the foot of the Kerinci Mountain, 2.100 m above sea level. Along with M Apriza Suska and Stewart McPherson, he expressed his gratification by dancing when he saw Nephentes aristolochioides in Kerinci Seblat National Park, Sumatera. The same joy was also experienced by Adrian Yusuf Wartono in Juli 2007 at a different location in the biggest national park in Sumatera.

It is obvious if they had so much joy when they found aristolochioides. It is one of the nepentheses which has the most unique appearance-resembling a cobra head-and is very rare out in nature. To reach the ketakung-term for nepenthes in Kalimantan-site which was first found by Prof Willem Meijer in 1956-a Rafflesia expert in German-is not an easy thing to do.

On the first day, Alfin, Apriza, and Stewart's guts were shriveled up when they found the foot-steps along with the feces of the Sumatera striped tiger. 'The tiger has just passed for about 12 hours ago,' said Alfin repeating the guide's explanation. Obviously, the site is the habitat for Panthera tigris sumatrensis. Another obstacle is leech. For several times the group had to stop for a while to remove the clinking leech on legs. 'I have had expeditions to Papua and other parts of Sumatera, but this is the only place (Kerinci Seblat National Park) where the most leeches exist,' said Alfin.

Rare

After the 2 days and 1 night journey, finally the aristolochioides figure appeared. It grows at a distance of about 10 m from the lake, on more than 2.000 m above sea level. 'There are found around 7 full-grown plants within the radius of 50 m,' said Suska, an ornamental plant practitioner in Bogor. The amount is fewer compared to the time the guide saw them in January 2007. At that time tens aristolochioides were still seen.

Cultivated N. aristolochioides

Adrian, a hobbyist in Kudus, Central Java, found 4-5 aristolochioides on the elevation of 1.900-2.200 m above sea level. There, it grows along with N. singalana, N. pectinata, and N. spathulata. The decreasing population of aristolochioides out in nature is also agreed upon by Stewart. 'In fact, in one site, there was only 1 plant left,' said the hobbyist from England. Whereas according to Alfin, Charles Clarke, the writer of Nepenthes of Borneo, still saw tens of aristolochioides in that location in 1993.

The decreasing number of aristolochioides population out in nature is due to the plundering which were done by foreign and local tourists. Not surprisingly, if now it is included as a plant which was in critical condition. This Nepenthaceae family member is in the red list of rare species of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) 2006.

Reference :
http://www.trubus-online.com/mod.php?mod=publisher&op=viewarticle&cid=2&artid=3