Population Structure of Nepenthes from Adjacent Area of Taman Tun Fuad Stephen in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

Nepenthes gracilis and N. rafflesiana were recorded in the two study plots from the study area. A total of 242 pitcher plants were recorded from these plots, equaling an area of 0.02 hectare. Of these, 154 (63.64%) belonged to N. gracilis, followed by N. rafflesiana with 88 (26.56%) plants. These species showed a very strong tendency to grow in the open area and along the fringe or in the gaps of bushy fern Dicranopteris linearis, locally known as resam. The X2 test indicated that the population dispersion pattern of seedlings, saplings and matured plants of N. gracilis and seedlings and sapling of N. rafflesiana in Plot 1 were significantly different from random. Similarly were seedlings and saplings of Nepenthes gracilis and seedlings of N. rafflesiana in Plot 2. Their Id values greater than 1 (2.89-6.11) respectively showed the mentioned life stages of both species in these Plots were significantly contagious. The population structure showed variation for both species. There were more seedlings and juveniles than mature plants in all species thus indicating regenerating populations.