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Western Wetland Flora

Field Office Guide to Plant Species

Lesser Bladderwort
Utricularia minor L.

JPG -- Species Photo JPG -- Distribution Map

Family: Bladderwort (Lentibulariaceae)
Flowering: July-September
Field Marks: This bladderwort has 2-9 yellow flowers in an uncrowded raceme. The stalks of the fruits are arched and recurved. The petals are only about 1/3 to nearly 1/2 inch long.
Habitat: In streams and in shallow ponds.
Habit: Perennial herb with winter buds (turions).
Stems: All submersed, thread-like, much branched.
Leaves: Numerous, alternate, divided several times, each segment flat, linear, pointed at the tip: bladders up to 1/12 inch in diameter, attached to the leaves.
Flowers: 2-9 in an uncrowded raceme on a leafless stalk up to 10 inches long; flower stalks becoming arched and recurved.
Sepals: United to form 2 lips, green, each lip up to 1/8 inch long, the upper lip slightly longer than the lower lip.
Petals: 5, pale yellow, united to form 2 lips, up to 1/3 inch long, with a spur up to 1/8 inch long.
Stamens: 2, the anthers twisted.
Pistils: Ovary 1, superior, smooth.
Fruits: Capsules nearly spherical, about 1/10 inch in diameter.
Notes: This species is able to trap minute aquatic organisms in its underwater bladders and utilize some of its prey for its own nutritional value.

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U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/plants/florawe/species/6/utrimino.htm
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Page Last Modified: Saturday, 02-Feb-2013 06:26:48 EST
Reston, VA [vaww55]