Alien Nepenthes

[F R e N c H 3 z]

I found this picture floating around on facebook today. The caption was in Italian but from what I understood the photo originates from Urs Zimmerman and the reason for the deformed pitcher is still not understood. Virus perhaps?
Very cool looking none the less!

Edit: It seems Urs actually made a thread about this
http://pitcherplants.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=11364

 

[Favian]

I saw that on FB too! I was wondering WTH was going on. I actually think is pretty awesome

 

[Nepenthesis]

That. Looks. Awesome.

I wish that were a legit species though lol... Probably a virus.

 

[swords]

What species is it supposed to be?

I saw an Alocasia "Loco" plant which is marketed to have all twisted & bubbly leaf growth like that (on straight petioles) I wonder if you could transfer the virus or whatever causes the twisted "loco" growth to Nepenthes by cutting the plants with the same knife uncleaned between plants? Remember that Nepenthes pitchers are the actual "leaf" for a Nep and the thing we think of as Nep leaves are actually considered a photosynthetic petiole.

 

[Heli]

Wow that's freaky. @swords looks to me like Edwardsiana

 

[chibae]

Why would anyone want to risk bringing what may be a highly virused plant into their collections?

 

[mcmcnair]

The Alocasia 'loco' isn't virus infected from my understanding. It is merely a genetic mutation of some sort. But i agree that is a crazy looking pitcher.

 

[sarracenia_X]

HOLY CRAP