[kltower]

In the wild, sanguineas and I think they are also true amongst other species are link by a large network of roots, What you think are a few plants may actually be a singular plant joint by roots. Very often what I thought were seedlings are actually the plant's new nodes. By having such a network, the plant have more chance of trapping insects. Most of the traps that I have seen are full of black ants. So in nature, producing 20cm plus pitcher is quite normal. But they are usually at ground level. Because when they are filled with rain water , they can be heavy. I guess it is only logical that upper pitchers are always smaller than the lowers.

In the wild, sanguineas and I think they are also true amongst other species are link by a large network of roots, What you think are a few plants may actually be a singular plant joint by roots. Very often what I thought were seedlings are actually the plant's new nodes. By having such a network, the plant have more chance of trapping insects. Most of the traps that I have seen are full of black ants. So in nature, producing 20cm plus pitcher is quite normal. But they are usually at ground level. Because when they are filled with rain water, they can be heavy. I guess it is only logical that upper pitchers are always smaller than the lowers.

Now, having seen the photos, why would the arboreal plant produce such exceptionally large pitchers? What is there to gain to have such large pitchers? On the ground you get an endless supply of ants but in the air you only trap the occasional flying insects. Beside, even if they are half filled with water, they will weigh 500 to 1000 gm. The water ladened pitchers will really stress vining plant.

Why then, do plants produce large pitchers? What should the optimum size of the pitcher be?

Choong