was shown that L-alanine fed in vitro to the pitchers of N. insignis is used to build up plumbagin, but is not incorporated into rossoliside and plumbaside A. The results suggest that these compounds are used for storage and have very low turnover rates. Related species B. H. Danser suggested that N. insignis is related to N. merrilliana from the Philippines. He placed both species in the Insignes clade, the members of which are characterised by coarse stems, large leaves, sparse indumentums, sessile leaves, and lids without appendages. Nepenthes insignis has also been compared to N. sibuyanensis, another Philippine endemic. It can be distinguished from that species on the basis of a number of morphological features. The former produces two-flowered pedicels, whereas those of N. sibuyanensis are one-flowered. The pitcher mouth of N. insignis is oblique, compared to almost horizontal in the latter. In addition, the peristome of N. sibuyanensis forms a short neck, while N. insignis lacks a neck completely. Furthermore, N. insignis has shorter peristome teeth than N. sibuyanensis (1 mm versus 5 mm). The pitchers of N. sibuyanensis also differ in shape, being ovate or slightly infundibulate. Natural hybrids A putative hybrid between N. insignis and N. mirabilis was found by members of the 1994 field trip to New Guinea. The plant was growing at an altitude of around 500 m. In Papua, N. insignis is commonly sympatric with N. ampullaria and N. maxima, and hybrids involving these species may also occur, although none have been recorded to date. Notes a.The original Latin description of N. insignis reads: Folia mediocria sessilia, lamina lineari-lanceolata, nervis longitudinalibus utrinque 4-6, basi in alas 2 decurrente, vagina 0 ; ascidia rosularum ignota ; ascidia caulum breviorum magnitudine mediocria v. maiora, parte inferiore ovata, os versus cylindrica, exalata, costis 2 prominentibus ; peristomio operculum versus acuto, expanso, 2-12 mm lato, costis l/2-3/4 mm distantibus, dentibus minus longis quam latis ; operculo rotundato-ovato, facie inferiore plano ; ascidia superiora magna, e basi lata infundibuliformi subcylindrica v. leviter infundibuliformia, costis 2 prominentibus, peristomio operculum versus acuto v. acuminato, expanso, 8-35 mm lato, costis 1/2-1 mm distantibus, dentibus c. tam longis quam latis ; operculo rotundato-cordato, facie inferiore plano v. plica subcarinato ; inflorescentia racemus longus pedicellis inferioribus c. 20 mm longis omnibus 2-floris ; indumentum in partibus vegetativis subnullum, in inflorescentiis densum adpressum, e pilis stellatis compositum. References Further reading Mansur, M. 2001. In: