My N. Mirabilis var. echinostoma has a salty peristome!

[Durban]

Hi everyone, this is my first post. I am well experienced when it comes to growing Nepenthes, and i have not seen anything like this before. My N. mirablis var. echinostoma produces a thick salty discharge from the peristome. I noticed this and tasted it, expecting nectar, but it didn`t taste sweet at all, instead it was distinctly salty. The plant grows and pitchers very well, producing a pitcher on every leaf. I don`t ever fertilise and the plants get RO water with a TDS of 0, so it can`t be any type of chemical or mineral. I removed the salty "nectar" and it returned within a few days.

I have not heard of Nepenthes producing this type of salty discharge, i wonder what it would be used to attract? I have attached an average snapshot to show the health of the lower pitchers. Ideas anyone?