Charles Clarke and Ch'ien Lee, 2004, Pitcher Plants of Sarawak.

Charles Clarke and Ch'ien Lee, 2004, Pitcher Plants of Sarawak. Charles Clarke and Ch'ien Lee, 2004, Pitcher Plants ofSarawak. Kota Kinabalu: Natural History Publications, ISBN963-812-091-X, 81 pp. Pitcher plants are of particular interest to naturalists as theyhave evolved a complex container-like structure (pitcher) on the ends oftheir leaves to capture insects which they then digest to aid in theirgrowth and reproduction. This carnivorous habit allows them to maintaina foothold in the nutrient-starved environments in which they areusually found. Clarke and Lee's book on this fascinating plantfamily maintains the high standards set by Natural History Publicationsof Kota Kinabalu and by Charles Clarke who has published at least fourother books on this topic. Sarawak is of particular interest for fans of pitcher plants, orNepenthes, as it hol ds 25 of the 85 or more currently described species.The reasons for this high diversity include the wide range of geologiesand topographies found in this Malaysian state, coupled with thenaturally high diversity of such tropical regions. This small book starts with a short introduction on these unusualplants including details on their morphology, prey capture mechanisms,and distribution. Then follows a short description of the habitats inBorneo where they are found which are often more open and nutrient-poorhabitats such as kerangas forest, montane forest, or forest overlimestone. The bulk of the book describes each of the 25 species found inSarawak with wonderful color photographs (mostly by Ch'ien Lee)found liberally throughout, on almost every page. These photos are ofexcellent quality and focus on particular aspects of the plants'morphology illustrating the wide variation in pitcher forms. Thisvariation is hypothesized to be partly due to the peculiarities in thediets of some of these plants, for example Nepenthes ampullaria hassquat, ground-dwelling pitchers with no lid as it is thought theyactually obtain nutrients from leaf litter falling into them. Incontrast, Nepenthes lowii has very broad and open upper pitchers whichare thought to be helpful in catching falling bird and small mammaldroppings. The book is in a handy "pocket book" format which willassist amateurs, and indeed, interested professionals, identify pitcherplants on their visits to the natural parks and other pristineenvironments that remain in Borneo. Perhaps the only shortcoming is thesmall map of Borneo at the front which could have been improved byfocusing on Sarawak only and noting areas where one might fruitfullysearch for Nepenthes in the state. I highly recommend this book for all those with even a passinginterest in pitcher plants as it is informative, excellently presentedand costs only US$7! (Francis Brearley, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK,<f.q.br earley@ mmu.ac.uk>)