Newest giant pitcher plant

The newest species of giant pitcher plant to be scientifically discovered and named is Attenborough's pitcher plant Nepenthes attenboroughii, which was formally described in 2009 and named after British TV naturalist David Attenborough. Its type specimen was collected on the summit of Mount Victoria, on the Philippine island of Palawan. It is characterized by its large, distinctive, bell-shaped pitchers, the largest example of which that has been recorded so far possessing a volume in excess of 1.5 litres. Its lower pitchers are up to 30 cm tall and 16 cm wide, with its upper pitchers up to 25 cm tall and 12 cm wide.

In May 2010, this species was selected by the International Institute for Species Exploration at Arizona State University, USA, as one of the "top 10 new species described in 2009". This accolade makes it all the more tragic that the species is threatened with extinction. Indeed, it is currently categorized as Critically Endangered by the IUCN, and in 2012 it was featured in that year's list of the world's 100 most threatened species as compiled by the IUCN Species Survival Commission in collaboration with the Zoological Society of London.