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Nepenthes

Nepenthes

1 9.9
A tropical plant with a leaf that makes a deep cup to trap and digest insects
  • proper noun
  • /nɪˈpɛnθiz/
  • Specialized
: Nepenthes
  • Tony Paroubek at Exotic Plants Plus is one of the best North American Nepenthes suppliers, and I recommend him without hesitation.
  • Nepenthes pitcher
  • Nepenthes species
  • genus Nepenthes

Examples

  • The Nepenthes plants in the rainforest have unique pitcher-shaped leaves that attract and digest insects.

  • At the beginning of this post, I have mentioned some weird happenings... and here are two plants that are weird looking, Nepenthes sp...

    Blog text (17)
  • Leilani Nepenthes is the continental agent for Sam Estes' nursery in Hawaii.

    Blog text (29)
  • Visitors to Borneo often marvel at the striking Nepenthes species found throughout the island.

  • Many gardeners appreciate Nepenthes for their unusual appearance and insect-catching abilities.

Synonyms

Nepenthaceae
vsNepenthes
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A group of tropical plants with pitcher-shaped leaves that catch and eat insects

is identical in members but recorded as the formal family term
family Nepenthaceae
vsNepenthes
  • Specialized
9.9

A group of tropical plants that catch insects in cup-shaped leaves

is the same group but presented as the concise scientific family name

Surface Forms

Nepenthes main

Etymology

Nepenthes comes from an old Greek name for a magic drink: the parts ne- ('not') and penthos ('grief') made a nepenthe, a potion that 'chased away sorrow'. Botanists gave the name to the pitcher plant because its deep cup holds liquid like a small potion, so the name fits the plant that traps and digests insects.