Liberec Botanical Garden displays rare endangered pitcher plant

The Liberec Botanical Garden has moved one of its critically endangered Nepenthes clipeata pitcher plants into public exhibition. The garden acquired eight young plants three years ago, which have now grown from a few centimeters to nearly adult size.

Nepenthes clipeata is one of the world's rarest pitcher plants, found naturally only on Mount Kelam in western Borneo, Indonesia. Its survival in the wild is threatened by historical collection by enthusiasts and its dioecious nature, meaning male and female flowers grow on separate plants, making reproduction difficult in small populations.

To support the species' genetic diversity, the garden collaborated with breeders in Germany in 2023 to acquire four unrelated lines. Botanists are working to grow the plants to flowering stage to collect seeds. The garden has also utilized genetic methods to determine the sex of the plants before they bloom.