Nepenthes truncata


Nepenthes truncata is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to the Philippines. It is known from the islands of Dinagat, Leyte, and Mindanao. The species grows at an elevation of 0–1,500 m above sea level. Nepenthes truncata is characterised by its heart-shaped leaves and very large pitchers, which can reach up to 40 cm in height.
Nepenthes robcantleyi was once considered a dark, highland form of this species.

Carnivory

On September 29, 2006, at the Botanical Gardens in Lyon, France, a Nepenthes truncata was photographed containing the decomposing corpse of a mouse. This incident is the first record of a mammal being successfully trapped in the pitchers of N. truncata indoors. Both N. rajah and N. rafflesiana are known to occasionally catch small mammals in the wild.
Although it is possible for Nepenthes truncata to trap mice, the calcium heavy bones will not be digested.

Natural hybrids