Politik Ekonomi Pertanian

Seven Borneo Exotics nurseries in Nuwara Eliya, Srilanka, on 1.884 m above sea level elevation are 4 times a football field width. Inside the buildings there are around 100 species and hybrids nepenthes grown but N. lowii mostly captured the attention of Rosy Nur Apriyanti, Trubus reporter. The white welling exudate behind the pitcher lid makes it different from other entuyut.

There were actually 5 pots of lowii seen above the iron shelves asbestos, based 1,5 m high, with a gravel carpet above it. From the dangling green tip of the leaves, slopy pitchers are 20 cm high. The nepentheses originated from Sabah and Sarawak, Malaysia, were wedged in among the red pitcher and green lip of N. veitchii, green pitcher and red lip of veitchii, the 600 ml mineral water container size of N. truncata, and the bright-red pitcher of N. petiolata-merely mentioning the highland ketakung which Borneo Exotics have.

Despite so, Trubus sight was focused on N. lowii which has the mouth shaped like-pardon-a chamber pot hole. The dark red colour of the inner part is really in contrast with the fresh green outer part. The white welling nectar gland behind the pitcher lid is also of contrast. From a distance the exudate looks like seaweed. It is different from other nepenthes nectar glands which are transparent and far less in quantity-usually found around the pitcher mouth. Lowii takes the advantage of those sweet smelled and tasty welling nectar gland to trap the preys, so that they are uconsciously fall into the pitcher.

Lowii is one of the Borneo Exotics pride. Up to now, that highland nepenthes has not been propagated massively. ‘Now only 4 species are produced massively every month,’ said Rob Cantley, the owner of the nursery. They are N. trucata, N. ventricosa, N. rafflesiana, and N. albomarginata. Lowii has not been propagated due to its slow growth. The slow growth nature is also felt by M Apriza Suska, a nepenthes collector in Bogor. A pot of lowii which he bought in Srilanka 1,5 years ago initially had 3 pitchers. After a month in Indonesia, the pitchers were dried up. ‘Up to now it has not produced any pitcher yet,’ said this man who keeps kantong semar-term for nepenthes in Indonesia-in Ciderum, Bogor, 400 m above sea level. Whereas, other highland nepentheses which he also collects, for example N. maxima, N. truncata, N. fusca, N. petiolata, and N. alata, grow well and yield pitchers.

He assumed the nursery climate is not sufficient for the lowii growth. The nepenthes which name was taken from Hugh Low-a British man who first discovered it-requires up to 14^o night tempeature. In Ciderum the temperature at night is 20^o. To make it a the comfortable place for lowii, Suska is planning to tingker with his house so that the temperature is adjustable.

Trubus trace to some local collectors showed that lowii is rare. ‘I am interested seeing its distinctive figure performance from a book, but I have never seen it through my own eyes,’ said Ir Tri Budi Utama, MT, a collector in Kaliurang, Yogyakarta. For several times, the man who owns a restaurant business and fishing pond has ordered it to his friend, but the result is still none.

Genuinely, lowii is indeed fair to be the collectors’ target. Its bottom pitchers which looked like other nepenthes pitchers in general have various colours combination. The pitchers are 10 cm high, and dark red and yellow or green outer part with red or purple peristome. The pitchers inner part is purple or yellow. The lid surface is purple and covered with a long fur.

The upper pitcher appearance is 180^o different. It has a curve as if it formed a slope which separates the upper and lower part of the pitcher. The outer part is bright green with a wide purple or dark red lip, and has a certain kind of funnel. The pitcher texture is strong as if it is wooden. Its habitat is at a high humidity mossy forests on 1.800-2.600 m above sea level elevation. Its lower pitcher is often found scattered on the ground surface; the upper pitcher is hanging on the stem of shady canopy trees.

Lowii does not always obtain nutrition from the insects which are trapped into the pitcher. The nectar on the pitcher mouth attracts birds to come tasting. They perch on the strong stucture pitcher lip. They easily taste the nectar because of the gaping shape lid. At that moment a symbiosis process occured. Birds get nectar as food, and lowii gets birds feces which fall into the pitcher. The nutrition source contained in the feces are then digested. Due to its ackward nature, lowii is called bird toilet bowl.

Other assumption is that lowii also takes foodstuff from the leaves residue which go into the pitcher. Whatever the diet is, the slender slope is obviously attractive. Long fur and welling nectar do not only capture insects but also interest collectors. (Nesia Artdiyasa)