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Nepenthes bicalcarata (Sipitang, Borneo)

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Product number: AW-N_bic.2
Product information "Nepenthes bicalcarata (Sipitang, Borneo)"
This carnivorous plant is probably one of the most spectacular and best-known pitcher plants.
With nectar glands on its peristome and the two teeth, the plant lures its victims. The two prominent teeth give the plant it's name (Latin: bi = "two" - calcaratus = "spur").
The green, orange or red lower pitchers are big-bellied and upper pitchers become egg-shaped. Also eye-catching are the long leaves which can reach a length of 90cm.
Nepenthes bicalcarata is often found together with N. ampullaria on acidic or sandy soils.

Nepenthes bicalcarata was first described 1873 by Joseph D. Hooker and is only found in the lowlands of Borneo.

Nepenthes bicalcarata lives in symbiosis with ants (Camponotus schmitzi). The close associaton with ants was already noted by Burbidge in 1880.
This symbiosis is unique among all carnivorous plants making it the only Ant Plant among all carnivorous plants that is known so far. The ants live in the hollow and swollen tendrils and feef from the pray that's caught by N. bicalcarata. Camponotus schmitzii is completely dependent on it's host for both food and domatia offered them and cannot survive without N. bicalcarata. It's able to swim and dive to salvage dead insects from the digestive pitcher fluid. It's not harmed by the digestion enzymes and can climb the inner pitcher surface and peristome. Both surfaces are too slippery for most other insects. While Nepenthes bicalcarata can also survive without ants, Camponotus schmitzii pay their rent by protecting the plants from herbivores and pests and preventing an over accumulation of pray in the pitchers.

Easy to grow under hot climate.