The specific epithet tenax comes from the Latin word meaning "tenacious", referring to the plant's ability to produce upright stems and pitchers that remain erect in open areas despite strong winds and without support from surrounding vegetation – a characteristic unique among pitcher plants.

[3] Phylogenetic analyses indicate Nepenthes tenax forms part of a clade containing N. mirabilis and several other recently separated species, though its exact evolutionary relationships within this group remain uncertain.

The rosette pitchers are ovoid to funnel-shaped and relatively small (up to 55 mm tall), featuring two wings with hair-like projections.

[3] Nepenthes tenax reside in the lower levels of the swamps on floodplains surrounding the Jardine River on the northern Cape York peninsula appear to be the only habitats for this species, which is reportedly restricted to open sandy substrates or saturated wetlands.

[3] Nepenthes tenax maintains abundant populations within its native range around the Jardine River on Cape York Peninsula, Queensland, Australia, where it grows in permanently wet swamps and bogs at near sea-level elevations.

While the species faces potential threats from improper fire management and some illegal collection for horticulture, its overall population remains large and stable.

Due to its abundance, stable population, and protected status, N. tenax is assessed as a least-concern species by the IUCN.