Introduction to Porcupine

Porcupine (scientific name: Nepenthes mirabilis) is an insectivorous plant of the genus Porcupine in the family Porcupineaceae, also known as: water jar plant, monkey water bottle, monkey Cheng, piggy bank, Lei Gong pot, etc. It has a unique nutrient-sucking organ, the insect cage, which is cylindrical with a slightly inflated lower part with a lid.

Porcupine has a unique nutrient-absorbing organ, the insect cage, which is cylindrical, with a slightly enlarged lower half and a lid on the cage mouth, and is named after its shape, which resembles a pig's cage.

Porcupine is a member of the insectivorous plants because the soil in its native place is infertile and it is supplemented by catching insects and other small animals.

Morphological Characteristics

Hogweed has a woody or semi-woody stem and is almost 3 meters tall. The leaves are generally long oval in shape, climbing on trees or along the ground. The leaves are generally long oval, with a complex structure of petiole, leaf body and tendrils, and a caged vine at the end to facilitate climbing. At the end of the cage trails a bottle or funnel shaped trap cage with a lid is formed. Hogweed grows for many years before flowering, and the flowers are usually in racemes, a few in panicles, dioecious, small and bland, with a light, slightly fragrant flavor during the day; at night the flavor is strong and turns foul. Its ornamental qualities cannot be compared with those of the trap cage. The fruit is a capsule, which opens at maturity and disperses the seeds.

Growth habit

Most hogweed lives in environments with high humidity and temperatures and bright diffused light. They are generally found at the edge of forests or shrublands or in clearings. A few species, such as apple hogweed (N. ampullaria), prefer to grow in dense, shady forests.

N. ampullaria grows in acidic, low-nutrient soils, usually peat, white sand, sandstone, or volcanic soils. There are exceptions, such as the Malay king hogweed (N. rajah), which can grow healthily in soils high in metallic elements, and the white-ringed hogweed (N. albomarginata), which can grow near the high tide line on sandy beaches. Some hogweeds will also become rocky plants growing on rock walls. Meanwhile, N. inermis can even grow as an epiphyte on trees without touching the soil.

Distribution

N. inermis is mainly distributed in Southeast Asia, with Borneo (also known as Kalimantan) and Sumatra (Indonesia's islands) being the most abundant, each with about 40 species, followed by the Philippine Islands with about 30 species, the Malay Peninsula with more than 10 species, New Guinea and Sulawesi with about 20 species, and endemic to the eastern coast of Madagascar in Africa. In addition, there are two species endemic to the eastern coast of Madagascar Island in Africa (Masoala Peninsula Porcupine and Madagascar Porcupine), one species endemic to the Seychelles Islands (Burwell's Porcupine), one species endemic to Sri Lanka (Drip Porcupine), one species endemic to northeastern India (Indian Porcupine), one species endemic to the island of New Caledonia (Vieux Porcupine), and a number of species endemic to northern Australia (Firmamentous Porcupine, Kiwi Porcupine, and Ron's Porcupine). There is also a species in Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan and Taiwan in southern China, which is Nepenthes mirabilis (also known as Nepenthes mirabilis), and it is also the most widely distributed hogweed, which is distributed from southern China through many parts of Southeast Asia to northern Australia.

Reproduction methods of hogweed

Reproduction methods of hogweed include sexual reproduction and asexual reproduction of two types. Commonly used methods of propagation are cuttings, pressing and sowing.

1, asexual reproduction: cuttings, aerial pressure method.

2, sexual reproduction: sowing.

1, can be used for medicinal purposes: the original plant of Lei Gong Pu in Chinese medicine is N. mirabilis in the genus N. mirabilis. Functions and Indications: Clearing the lungs, moisturizing and drying, moving water, detoxifying. Treatment of lung dryness cough, whooping cough, jaundice, stomach pain, dysentery, edema, carbuncle, insect bites.

2, used for ornamental: the main purpose of planting hogweed is used as ornamental, and the focus of the ornamental is her trap - "cage", cage colorful, peculiar shape, is a very delicate and wonderful insect trapping tools, different varieties. The cages have different forms and are of great ornamental value.