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Dr. Potjamarn Suraninpong, Associate Professor of School of Agricultural Technologyand Food Industry Walailak University, a plant science researcher, revealed that recently, she and her research team at Walailak University had discovered two new Nepenthes species, which were approved as “the new species”, and have been published in Kew Bulletin, Official Journal of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, England. The first species was found at Java Prab range, Krabi province, and researchers named it “Nepenthes Hirtella” (Scientific name), commonly known as “Tiger Ampown”.  Another species found on the Khao Luang mountain range, Thung Song, Nakhon Si Thammarat province, was named “Nepenthes Bracteosa” or “Tiger Nakhon”. Thus, currently, there are 16 types and one species of Nepenthes in Thailand.

 “After researchers received information that there was a new type of Nepenthes, the nature expedition worked in the field to gather sample data and learn about botanical features used to detect shapes, sizes, and features of the leaf part. Moreover, the appearance of pitchers, fringed front wings, stomata, pitcher lids and the amount and length of wings on the stem, pitchers, or even the slender or plump appearance of the leaves were observed. Therefore, they needed to investigate male and female inflorescence, then extract DNA from the leaves to differentiate the type of Nepenthes and confirm whether the Nepenthes found was genuinely a new type by using the molecular marker AFLP”, stated Dr. Potjamarn, who is a member of the Centre of Excellence in Research for Cannabis and Cannabinoids. 

  The comparison of botanical features and DNA confirmed that these Nepenthes are different from other plants previously found in the same family in Thailand and are outstanding enough to treat them as a new species. It is also different from Nepenthes Krabiensis, which researchers found to be new to the world in 2015, and there is the unique tiger stripes pattern on these types of Nepenthes that reflects how the word “tiger” in their names were derived.

        Dr. Potjamarn stated that Walailak University has continually conducted studies about types and species of “Nepenthes”, and this type of plant is widespread in Indochina peninsula countries including China, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. In Thailand, Nepenthes are found scattered in high mountains and moist lowlands with moderate sunlight throughout all regions in the country from Northeastern to Eastern and Southern Thailand. That is why many types of Nepenthes are found in Southern Thailand.

          “The Nepenthes, a conservation plant, was listed in appendix II of CITES. Also, the two that we have found were categorized as nearly extinct plant species. The methods to preserve these species are seed propagation, stem cutting or even tissue culture. However, Walailak University currently has a botanical collection with more than 20 species in the botanical garden, which will be opened for visitors soon,” said Dr. Potjamarn whose research projects have included A new classification of Thailand’s Nepenthes species by genetic analysis of AFLP markers (2014), A new species of Nepenthes (Nepenthaceae) from Thailand (2016), Phylogenetic analysis of Nepenthes in Thailand by using internal transcribed spacer nuclear ribosomal DNAsequences (2016).

Translated by Papada Sritheerawichai, Cooperative Education student from the School of Liberal of Arts, Walailak University.