The Cambodian government recently had to speak up and ask people to stop picking a rare pitcher plant shaped like a “precious penis”.

According to Cambodia’s Khmer Times newspaper, the Ministry of Environment of this country has just posted on social networks a photo of 3 women snatching the “precious” pitcher plant and deliberately posing provocatively. In the post, the Cambodian Ministry of Environment asked people to “leave alone” this rare plant.

The tree has the scientific name Nepenthes holdenii , discovered in the Cardamom mountains, southwest Cambodia. In essence, this is a carnivorous plant with a smart “trap” to catch some insects.

British photographer Jeremy Holden was the first to discover them, so the tree was named after him.

Commenting on the Cambodian Ministry of Environment’s post, Mr. Holden said that the endangered tree species in the photo is Nepenthes bokorensis – a close relative of Nepenthes holdenii.

According to the Phnom Penh Post newspaper, Cambodia is currently home to many rare and endemic pitcher plants.

Recently, the “hunts” for unique plants such as Nepenthes holdenii, Nepenthes bokorensis tend to “explode” after the period of quarantine due to Covid-19. Many people, despite hardships, roam the high mountainous areas of Cambodia, looking for Nepenthes holdenii to “live virtually”.

Many tourists uproot the roots of pitcher plants to plant, while many locals uproot plants to sell.

According to the Cambodian government, Nepenthes holdenii is currently classified as rare and needs urgent protection.

In July 2021, senior officials of the country’s Ministry of Environment also asked tourists not to pick carnivorous pitcher plants typical of Cambodia. They warn that this precious species could face the risk of extinction if the “hunting” does not stop.