Uploaded July 2021 | Updated September 2026, 2 days ago
A non-broadcast documentary (made just for fun) filmed during a 2019 expedition led by Stewart McPherson to re-discover Nepenthes mapuluensis and N. epiphytica, two of the least known species of all pitcher plants. Both, having only ever been observed on a couple of occasions.
Nepenthes mapuluensis was first discovered during in 1957, during an expedition by botanist Andrew Klostermans growing on a remote mountain, Mount Illas Mapulu, in Kalimantan, Borneo.
Nepenthes epiphytica was discovered many decades later in the same area by the great Nepenthes explorers, Joachim Nerz and Andreas Wistuba.
Throughout the 20th century, Nepenthes mapuluensis and N. epiphytica remained very little known. A massive fire burnt much of the habitat in the 1990s, and it was feared that both species may be extinct in the wild.
So, in 2019, M.A. Suska, Mamed Bin Anwar, Diego Garrido, Dalton Bridgers, Hannah Bridgers, Michal Golos, James Klech, Edward Lee, Antoine le Lirzin, Mike Perkins and Stewart McPherson set out to re-discover Nepenthes mapuluensis and N. epiphytica to answer the mystery once and for all.
A full account of the re-discovery of Nepenthes mapuluensis and N. epiphytica, as well as many other spectacular new Nepenthes species is provided in the the book title New Nepenthes Volume 2 (available from Redfern Natural History - redfernnaturalhistory.com ).
Many thank to our local friends who approved and supported this expedition.
In particular, thanks to our guides, porters and canoemen who made our journey possible: Bapak Heri, Nofianto, Dedi, Gepeng, Irfan, Mus, Adul, Ifan, Wawan and Benny
A non-broadcast documentary (made just for fun) filmed during a 2019 expedition led by Stewart McPherson to re-discover Nepenthes mapuluensis and N. epiphytica, two of the least known species of all pitcher plants. Both, having only ever been observed on a couple of occasions.
Nepenthes mapuluensis was first discovered during in 1957, during an expedition by botanist Andrew Klostermans growing on a remote mountain, Mount Illas Mapulu, in Kalimantan, Borneo.
Nepenthes epiphytica was discovered many decades later in the same area by the great Nepenthes explorers, Joachim Nerz and Andreas Wistuba.
Throughout the 20th century, Nepenthes mapuluensis and N. epiphytica remained very little known. A massive fire burnt much of the habitat in the 1990s, and it was feared that both species may be extinct in the wild.
So, in 2019, M.A. Suska, Mamed Bin Anwar, Diego Garrido, Dalton Bridgers, Hannah Bridgers, Michal Golos, James Klech, Edward Lee, Antoine le Lirzin, Mike Perkins and Stewart McPherson set out to re-discover Nepenthes mapuluensis and N. epiphytica to answer the mystery once and for all.
A full account of the re-discovery of Nepenthes mapuluensis and N. epiphytica, as well as many other spectacular new Nepenthes species is provided in the the book title New Nepenthes Volume 2 (available from Redfern Natural History - redfernnaturalhistory.com ).
Many thank to our local friends who approved and supported this expedition.
In particular, thanks to our guides, porters and canoemen who made our journey possible: Bapak Heri, Nofianto, Dedi, Gepeng, Irfan, Mus, Adul, Ifan, Wawan and Benny
