The re-discovery of Nepenthes mollis and Nepenthes fusca

A non-broadcast documentary (made just for fun) filmed during a 2018 expedition led by Stewart McPherson to re-discover Nepenthes mollis and N. fusca, two "lost to science" species of pitcher plants not seen since their discovery nearly one century ago.

During this film, Stewart McPherson travels to the great island of Borneo, to re-trace the footsteps of Dutch colonial-era botanist Frederik Endert, who climbed Mount Kemul in East Kalimantan in 1925.

During his expedition, Endert collected herbarium specimens of two unknown species of Nepenthes.

These were subsequently named Nepenthes mollis and N. fusca, but neither was seen again for the rest of the 20th century.

Many mysteries surrounded both plants, especially since the herbarium specimens of Nepenthes mollis lacked pitchers.

So Alastair Robinson, Michael Golos, Jenny Forgie, Diego Garrido, Chandler Gorman, Adi Luick, Nick McIntosh, Greg Palena, Ivan Panco, Yosuke Sano, Jeff Shea, Brian Quinn and Stewart McPherson set out to rediscover these two "lost" species and answer the mystery once and for all!

A full account of the re-discovery of Nepenthes mollis and N. fusca, as well as many other spectacular new Nepenthes species is provided in the the book title New Nepenthes Volume 2 (available from Redfern Natural History - www.redfernnaturalhistory.com ).

Many thank or local friends, the Dayak Punan Aqut communities who approved and supported this expedition.

Also thanks to Jingom (village chief), and all elders of the Long Sule and Long Pipa Villages, as well as the guides, porters and canoemen who made our journey possible:

Alai, Amat, Beni, Bit, Bujang, Ferri, Herman, Ibu Aweq, Jalung, Kueng, Lie, Mardison, Nopel, Nuging, Sem, Sinda, Sion, Tanyang and Udau.

Also sincere thanks to the kind support offered by

Archive of Frederik Endert
Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden
Bogor Botanic Gardens
Hortus Botanicus Bogoriense Herbarium