N. Devotion NN3041070

[leilani]

This is one that I have been sitting on for a number of years now. The reason being that I could never see enough of the male parent in the offspring to be sure of it authenticity. Recently, however, it has been making pitchers that begin to suggest that it may be genuine.

The trouble is that, at least while they are young, spathulata very much dominates the pitcher morphology in most all its hybrids making a clear and certain identification of the second parent difficult. Making the situation even more problematic is the fact that there are no examples of hybrids made with a male rajah. No clues as to how rajah might present itself in this particular combination.

I have grown a few moderate sized rajah in the past but it is not a plant that I have had a lot of luck with. So, I sent a few pictures to Jeremiah thinking he might be better at picking out rajah characteristics but, so far, he has not ventured an opinion. On the other hand, Noa, who visited recently, seemed to see features relating to the wings and peristome that, might suggest that this hybrid is the real deal.

N. Devotion NN3041070
N. spathulata x rajah

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[Noa_F]

There are four defining characteristics that I see with this plant that made me think that maybe it is actually possible. Below are the traits as well as a few pictures of various rajah clones I own to compare.

1. Very "tight" wings. This is rare on other Nepenthes but is very prominent on N. rajah.
2. The lid has a ridge going down the middle on the underside an has large glands. Young rajahs have this ridge for quite a while. Only until the plant starts producing mature pitchers does the lid start puffing out and make that nice large lid that rajah is known for.
3. The peristome has pointed tips, albeit toned down by the spathulata mother (spathulata having a very smooth, round peristome).
4. The leaf attachment. Although it is not perfectly peltate, you know for sure that whatever the male parent was, it had to have some sort of unique leaves, rajah would account for this.

My main concern was the speckling of the pitcher body, as you don't see any spathulatas with speckling and rajahs are nearly solid in color. But then, as I searched through my pictures I found that rajahs are often speckled when immature and maintain a very light speckled pattern into maturity.

Showing ridged lid and tight wings


Different clone, showing ridged lid, slight specking, and pointed peristome


Same clone as above when younger, showing prominent speckling.


Persitome of a more mature, different clone:


Sure, it isn't what you'd expect the hybrid to look like, but all the unique characteristics do point towards N. rajah.


Noa

[Domgravine06]

looks like it is..did it basal? ,aybe pitchers will be bigger and more raja like

[leilani]

I spent a good amount of time comparing your pictures to the hybrid.

I would question your characterization of spathulata as having "a very smooth, rounded peristome". However, even if the uneven perimeter could have come from spathulata, the semi-crenelated surface of the peristome seems very suggestive of rajah.

Lid shape is inconsistent with spathulata as is tendril attachment, pitcher shape, semi-crenelated peristome surface, the very even and uniform wing structure and, at least with the spathulata used in the crossing, the red colors and mottling. All of these features are, in one degree or another, compatible with rajah.

Add to this the fact that "I put rajah pollen on the spathulata flower!" ;D

Thanks Noa! Your pictures and insight were very helpful.

[hegory]

do you plan to sell this hybrid?

[Robiii]

Appears authentic to me. Even though I haven't been as enthused online, I am starting to have my own luck turn around in the nursery. A few homegrown batches that are really making me happier as a grower as well as identifier. Though if it were a more complex hybrid i'd be sitting back and letting the rest argue their opinions. Apparently making my own manbrid helps a bit.

[hegory]

it looks very 'Rajah' to me, the only uncertainty for me being that the lid shown here isn't as vaulted, but spathulata could be the culprit here. Can we see a pic of the mother plant?