Nepenthes reinwardtiana has an unusually wide altitudinal distribution of 0–2200 m,[3] being both a "lowland" and "highland" plant. There are many different colour forms, ranging from green to dark red. This species is known for the two "eye spots" on the inside surface of its pitchers.
Although acknowledging close affinities between N. naquiyuddinii and N. reinwardtiana, Adam and Hafiza stated that the "two species exhibit many morphological differences and therefore they cannot be united into the same species".[citation needed] However, some authors consider these differences too small for species status and treat N. naquiyuddinii as a heterotypic synonym of N. reinwardtiana.[15][16] Alternatively, N. naquiyuddinii may represent a natural hybrid involving N. fusca and N. reinwardtiana, the only species that are sympatric with it.[17]
Phylogeny
In 2001, Charles Clarke performed a cladistic analysis of the Nepenthes species of Sumatra and Peninsular Malaysia using 70 morphological characteristics of each taxon. The following is a portion of the resultant cladogram, showing part of "Clade 6", which includes N. reinwardtiana.[18]
Modern molecular phylogenies, however, show that N. reinwardtiana is sister to Nepenthes macrovulgaris from Borneo.[19] Their common ancestor seems to have diverged relatively early during the diversification of the genus. Unlike the morphology suggests, N. reinwardtiana is not closely related to Nepenthes gracilis, nor Nepenthes murudensis nor Nepenthes tobaica nor other Sumatran species.
Intraspecific taxa
Nepenthes reinwardtiana var. samarindaensis J.H.Adam & Wilcock (1993)[20]
Natural hybrids
The following natural hybrids involving N. reinwardtiana have been recorded.
^(in Indonesian) Mansur, M. 2012. Keanekaragaman jenis tumbuhan pemakan serangga dan laju fotosintesisnya di Pulau Natuna. [Diversity on insectivorous plants and its photosynthetic rate in Natuna Island.] Berita Biologi11(1): 33–42. AbstractArchived 2013-09-21 at the Wayback Machine
Bauer, U., C.J. Clemente, T. Renner & W. Federle 2012. Form follows function: morphological diversification and alternative trapping strategies in carnivorous Nepenthes pitcher plants. Journal of Evolutionary Biology25(1): 90–102. doi:10.1111/j.1420-9101.2011.02406.x
Beaman, J.H. & C. Anderson 2004. The Plants of Mount Kinabalu: 5. Dicotyledon Families Magnoliaceae to Winteraceae. Natural History Publications (Borneo), Kota Kinabalu.
Bourke, G. 2011. The Nepenthes of Mulu National Park. Carniflora Australis8(1): 20–31.
Chung, A.Y.C. 2006. Biodiversity and Conservation of The Meliau Range: A Rain Forest in Sabah's Ultramafic Belt. Natural History Publications (Borneo), Kota Kinabalu. ISBN9838121169.
(in Indonesian) Handayani, T. 1999. "Konservasi Nepenthes di kebun raya Indonesia"(PDF). [Conservation of Nepenthes in Indonesian botanic gardens.] In: A. Mardiastuti, I. Sudirman, K.G. Wiryawan, L.I. Sudirman, M.P. Tampubolon, R. Megia & Y. Lestari (eds.) Prosiding II: Seminar Hasil-Hasil Penelitian Bidang Ilmu Hayat. Pusat Antar Universitas Ilmu Hayat IPB, Bogor. pp. 365–372.
Kato, M., M. Hotta, R. Tamin & T. Itino 1993. Inter- and intra-specific variation in prey assemblages and inhabitant communities in Nepenthes pitchers in Sumatra. Tropical Zoology6(1): 11–25. Abstract
Lee, C.C. 2000. Recent Nepenthes Discoveries. [video] The 3rd Conference of the International Carnivorous Plant Society, San Francisco, USA.
(in Indonesian) Mansur, M. 2007. Keanekaragaman jenis Nepenthes (kantong semar) dataran rendah di Kalimantan Tengah. [Diversity of lowland Nepenthes (kantong semar) in Central Kalimantan.] Berita Biologi8(5): 335–341. Abstract
Meimberg, H., A. Wistuba, P. Dittrich & G. Heubl 2001. Molecular phylogeny of Nepenthaceae based on cladistic analysis of plastid trnK intron sequence data. Plant Biology3(2): 164–175. doi:10.1055/s-2001-12897
Meimberg, H. & G. Heubl 2006. Introduction of a nuclear marker for phylogenetic analysis of Nepenthaceae. Plant Biology8(6): 831–840. doi:10.1055/s-2006-924676
Meimberg, H., S. Thalhammer, A. Brachmann & G. Heubl 2006. Comparative analysis of a translocated copy of the trnK intron in carnivorous family Nepenthaceae. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution39(2): 478–490. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2005.11.023
(in Japanese) Oikawa, T. 1992. Nepenthes reinwardtiana Miq.. In: Muyū kusa – Nepenthes (無憂草 – Nepenthes). [The Grief Vanishing.] Parco Co., Japan. pp. 40–41.
Renner, T. & C.D. Specht 2011. A sticky situation: assessing adaptations for plant carnivory in the Caryophyllales by means of stochastic character mapping. International Journal of Plant Sciences172(7): 889–901. doi:10.1086/660882