Nepenthes papuana was first collected on October 7, 1909, by Lucien Sophie Albert Marie von Römer.

Two plants were collected on this date on a hill below 750 m altitude, in the northern part of the Noordrivier.

[note a] The species was collected again on January 5, 1913, by Cecil Boden Kloss at an elevation of 920 m, as part of the Wollaston Expedition.

[note b] Four further collections were made in September, 1926, by Willem Marius Docters van Leeuwen at 250 and 300 m above sea level.

[note c][2] Plant material belonging to N. papuana was first described in 1916 by Henry Nicholas Ridley.

[3] However, Ridley believed it represented a male plant of N. neoguineensis and did not recognise it as a new species.

[2] B. H. Danser formally described N. papuana in his seminal monograph "The Nepenthaceae of the Netherlands Indies", published in 1928.

Older plants produce short shoots and rosettes near the base of the stem.

The lower surface of the lid bears no appendages and has many small glands concentrated near the centre.

[2] Upper pitchers gradually arise from the ends of the tendrils, forming a 6 to 12 mm wide curve.

Small, depressed glands are present on the undersurface of the lid, being concentrated near the basal part of the midrib.

[2] Nepenthes papuana occurs on both the north and south sides of the main central mountains of Papua Province.

[1][4] The species occurs from sea level to an intermediate elevation of 1300 m.[5][6] In its natural habitat, N. papuana grows in exposed sites at forest edges.

The wings are less developed in the upper pitchers of N. papuana and the fringe elements are more closely spaced.

[2] Folia mediocria subpetiolata, lamina lanceolata, nervis longitudinalibus utrinque 4-6, basi valde attenuata, semiamplexicauli ; ascidia rosularum parva, parte inferiore oblique ovata, os versus sensim attenuata, alis 2 fimbriatis ; peristomio operculum versus acuto, applanato, 1-2 mm lato, costis c. 1/2 mm distantibus, dentibus 1-2 x longioribus quam latis ; operculo orbiculari facie inferiore plano ; ascidia inferiora ut rosularum sed margis elongata ; ascidia superiora parte c. 1/3 inferiore paulum ventricosa, os versus cylindrica v. primum paulum angustata os versus infundibuliformia, alis 2 fimbriatis v. efimbriatis v. costis 2 prominentibus ; peristomio operculum versus acuto, applanato, 1-2 mm lato, costis c. 1/2 mm distantibus, dentibus 1-2 x longioribus quam latis ; operculo suborbiculari subcordato, facie inferiore plano ; inflorescentia racemus pedicellis inferioribus 10-12 mm longis 1-floris v. 2-floris, superioribus brevioribus 1-floris ; indumentum breve ferrugineum tomentosum, in partibus vegetativis parcissimum, in costa et margine foliorum tantum distinctum, in inflorescentiis subdensum permanens.