Nepenthes Ventricosa- Black Peristome

This beautiful form has the same characteristic shape as the typical species but the peristome is a much darker purple. This plant has had a hard time since it recieved it. It was decapitated when it arrived and took several weeks for new growth to start. Then an inchworm decided to take home under one of the leaves and was spotted by a bird which proceeded to tear up the plant trying to eat it. He completely decapitated the plant for the second time. A few weeks later, a new tip began to grow. Just as the leaf was starting to unroll, it was chewed off by something (or someone). Again, several weeks went by and amazingly enough, new sprouts, four of them, began to grow from the base of the plant. Once they began to produce pitchers, a new growing tip has begun to emerge. This plant wiil not give up! All has been well for it lately, thankfully.

Only two sprouts can be seen in this picture.