Pennis Flower in Bokor Finally Found Scientific Name

One of the flower look like a pennis that I can take picture in Bokor since 2008 finally found scientific names by Fauna and Flora International this month.

This is the pennis flower taken by FFI's Photographer

This kind of flower look like a pennis and have different species. Some bigger, Cambodian local farmer call it as the adult pennis flower and the small one they call baby pennis flowers, and some are red some have hair as well. They grow in the Viel Srey Moy Roy plateau not to far from the Borko plateau and Popak Vill plateau. They have conservative by Sokimix Officers, after the government provide tourism development concession for 90 years.

Pennis flower taken since 2008 in Borko Mountain

The pennis flower just the name that call by local people but the forest rangers call it in khmer as Pkha Bampong Kralum and on November 15 FFI said it is  new species of carnivorous pitcher plant. It was name as Nepenthes holdenii.

FFI said the large red and green pitchers that characterize Nepenthes holdenii are actually modified leaves designed to capture and digest insects. The pitchers can reach up to 30 centimeters long. The carnivorous strategy allows the plants to gain additional nutrients and flourish in otherwise impoverished soils.

A further unusual adaptation seen in this new species is its ability to cope with fire and extended periods of drought. Cambodia’s dry season causes forests to desiccate and forest fires are common. Nepenthes holdenii exploits the clearings caused by these regular blazes by producing a large underground tuber which sends up a new pitcher- bearing vine after the fires have passed.