287 Species of Genus Utricularia

The Utterly Fascinating World of Utricularia

My name is Ferb Vu, and I’m captivated by the intricate world of Utricularia, more commonly known as bladderworts. These fascinating plants, belonging to the Lentibulariaceae family, have carved a unique niche for themselves in the diverse tapestry of the plant kingdom. What sets them apart? They are carnivorous.

Now, when you think of carnivorous plants, images of Venus flytraps or pitcher plants might spring to mind. But Utricularia are different. They’re subtle, often overlooked, yet incredibly sophisticated in their hunting strategies. Their delicate appearance belies a ruthless efficiency in trapping and digesting prey.

A World of Tiny Traps

The name “bladderwort” provides a clue to their unique mechanism. These plants possess tiny, bladder-like traps, typically ranging in size from 0.2 to 6 millimeters. These underwater traps are marvels of biological engineering. Each bladder has a flexible door with sensitive trigger hairs. When an unsuspecting prey, such as a water flea or mosquito larva, brushes against these hairs, the trap door springs open. The prey, along with a rush of water, is sucked into the bladder, where it’s digested. The whole process happens in a matter of milliseconds, making it one of the fastest trapping mechanisms in the plant kingdom.

A Diverse and Global Genus

Utricularia is not just a single plant; it’s a diverse genus encompassing over 230 recognized species. They inhabit a wide range of environments, from freshwater wetlands and bogs to damp soils and even the surfaces of rocks. This global distribution speaks volumes about their adaptability and resilience. You can find them on every continent except Antarctica, showcasing their ability to thrive in diverse climates and conditions.

1. Utricularia adamsii R.W.Jobson & Davies-Colley
2. Utricularia adpressa Salzm. ex A.St.-Hil. & Girard
3. Utricularia albertiana R.W.Jobson & Baleeiro
4. Utricularia albiflora R.Br.
5. Utricularia albocaerulea Dalzell
6. Utricularia alpina Jacq.
7. Utricularia ameliae R.W.Jobson
8. Utricularia amethystina Salzm. ex A.St.-Hil. & Girard
9. Utricularia amotape-huancabambensis T.Henning, E.Rodr. & J.P.Allen
10. Utricularia andongensis Welw. ex Hiern
11. Utricularia antennifera P.Taylor
12. Utricularia appendiculata E.A.Bruce
13. Utricularia arcuata Wight
14. Utricularia arenaria A.DC.
15. Utricularia ariramba Gonella, Baleeiro & Andrino
16. Utricularia arnhemica P.Taylor
17. Utricularia asplundii P.Taylor
18. Utricularia aurea Lour.
19. Utricularia aureomaculata Steyerm.
20. Utricularia australis R.Br.
21. Utricularia babui S.R.Yadav, Sardesai & S.P.Gaikwad
22. Utricularia baliboongarnang Baleeiro & R.W.Jobson
23. Utricularia barkeri R.W.Jobson
24. Utricularia beaugleholei R.J.Gassin
25. Utricularia benjaminiana Oliv.
26. Utricularia benthamii P.Taylor
27. Utricularia biceps Gonella & Baleeiro
28. Utricularia bicolor A.St.-Hil. & Girard
29. Utricularia bidentata R.W.Jobson & Baleeiro
30. Utricularia bifida L.
31. Utricularia biloba R.Br.
32. Utricularia biovularioides (Kuhlm.) P.Taylor
33. Utricularia bisquamata Schrank
34. Utricularia blackmanii R.W.Jobson
35. Utricularia blanchetii A.DC.
36. Utricularia bosminifera Ostenf.
37. Utricularia brachiata Oliv.
38. Utricularia bracteata R.D.Good
39. Utricularia bremii Heer ex Koell.
40. Utricularia brennanii R.W.Jobson & Baleeiro
41. Utricularia breviscapa C.Wright ex Griseb.
42. Utricularia buntingiana P.Taylor
43. Utricularia byrneana R.W.Jobson & Baleeiro
44. Utricularia caerulea L.
45. Utricularia calycifida Benj.
46. Utricularia campbelliana Oliv.
47. Utricularia capilliflora F.Muell.
48. Utricularia catolesensis G.L.Campos, Cheek & Giul.
49. Utricularia cecilii P.Taylor
50. Utricularia chapadensis Baleeiro, Gonella & R.W.Jobson
51. Utricularia cheiranthos P.Taylor
52. Utricularia chiakiana Komiya & C.Shibata
53. Utricularia chiribiquetensis A.Fernández
54. Utricularia choristotheca P.Taylor
55. Utricularia christopheri P.Taylor
56. Utricularia chrysantha R.Br.
57. Utricularia circumvoluta P.Taylor
58. Utricularia cochleata C.P.Bove
59. Utricularia corneliana R.W.Jobson
60. Utricularia cornigera Studnicka
61. Utricularia cornuta Michx.
62. Utricularia corynephora P.Taylor
63. Utricularia costata P.Taylor
64. Utricularia cowiei R.W.Jobson & Baleeiro
65. Utricularia cucullata A.St.-Hil. & Girard
66. Utricularia cutleri Steyerm.
67. Utricularia cymbantha Oliv.
68. Utricularia damazioi Beauverd
69. Utricularia delicatula Cheeseman
70. Utricularia delphinioides Thorel ex Pellegr.
71. Utricularia densiflora Baleeiro & C.P.Bove
72. Utricularia determannii P.Taylor
73. Utricularia dichotoma Labill.
74. Utricularia dimorphantha Makino
75. Utricularia disjuncta R.W.Jobson & Baleeiro
76. Utricularia dunlopii P.Taylor
77. Utricularia dunstaniae F.E.Lloyd
78. Utricularia elephanthoides J.R.Grande
79. Utricularia endresii Rchb.f.
80. Utricularia erectiflora A.St.-Hil. & Girard
81. Utricularia fenshamii R.W.Jobson
82. Utricularia fimbriata Kunth
83. Utricularia firmula Welw. ex Oliv.
84. Utricularia fistulosa P.Taylor
85. Utricularia flaccida A.DC.
86. Utricularia floridana Nash
87. Utricularia foliosa L.
88. Utricularia forrestii P.Taylor
89. Utricularia foveolata Edgew.
90. Utricularia fulva F.Muell.
91. Utricularia furcellata Oliv.
92. Utricularia gaagudju R.W.Jobson & Cherry
93. Utricularia garrettii P.Taylor
94. Utricularia geminiloba Benj.
95. Utricularia geminiscapa Benj.
96. Utricularia geoffrayi Pellegr.
97. Utricularia georgei P.Taylor
98. Utricularia gibba L.
99. Utricularia graminifolia Vahl
100. Utricularia grampiana R.W.Jobson
101. Utricularia guyanensis A.DC.
102. Utricularia hamata R.W.Jobson & M.D.Barrett
103. Utricularia hamiltonii F.E.Lloyd
104. Utricularia helix P.Taylor
105. Utricularia heterochroma Steyerm.
106. Utricularia heterosepala Benj.
107. Utricularia hintonii P.Taylor
108. Utricularia hirta Klein ex Link
109. Utricularia hirtella A.St.-Hil. & Girard
110. Utricularia hispida Lam.
111. Utricularia holtzei F.Muell.
112. Utricularia humboldtii R.H.Schomb.
113. Utricularia huntii P.Taylor
114. Utricularia hydrocarpa Vahl
115. Utricularia inaequalis A.DC.
116. Utricularia incisa (A.Rich.) Alain
117. Utricularia inflata Walter
118. Utricularia inflexa Forssk.
119. Utricularia intermedia Hayne
120. Utricularia inthanonensis Suksathan & J.Parn.
121. Utricularia involvens Ridl.
122. Utricularia irwinica R.W.Jobson & Baleeiro
123. Utricularia jackii J.Parn.
124. Utricularia jamesoniana Oliv.
125. Utricularia janarthanamii S.R.Yadav, Sardesai & S.P.Gaikwad
126. Utricularia × japonica Makino
127. Utricularia jaramacaru Gonella, Baleeiro & Andrino
128. Utricularia jobsonii Lowrie
129. Utricularia julianae Delprete
130. Utricularia juncea Vahl
131. Utricularia kamarudeenii V.S.A.Kumar & Sindu Arya
132. Utricularia kamienskii F.Muell.
133. Utricularia kenneallyi P.Taylor
134. Utricularia kimberleyensis C.A.Gardner
135. Utricularia kumaonensis Oliv.
136. Utricularia laciniata A.St.-Hil. & Girard
137. Utricularia lasiocaulis F.Muell.
138. Utricularia lateriflora R.Br.
139. Utricularia laxa A.St.-Hil. & Girard
140. Utricularia lazulina P.Taylor
141. Utricularia leptoplectra F.Muell.
142. Utricularia leptorhyncha O.Schwarz
143. Utricularia letestui P.Taylor
144. Utricularia lihengiae C.L.Long & Z.Cheng
145. Utricularia limmenensis R.W.Jobson
146. Utricularia limosa R.Br.
147. Utricularia lindmanii Sylvén
148. Utricularia linearis H.Wakab.
149. Utricularia livida E.Mey.
150. Utricularia lloydii Merl
151. Utricularia longeciliata A.DC.
152. Utricularia longifolia Gardner
153. Utricularia lowriei R.W.Jobson
154. Utricularia lunaris Baleeiro, Gonella & R.W.Jobson
155. Utricularia macrocheilos (P.Taylor) P.Taylor
156. Utricularia macrorhiza Leconte
157. Utricularia magna R.W.Jobson & M.D.Barrett
158. Utricularia malabarica Janarth. & A.N.Henry
159. Utricularia mangshanensis G.W.Hu
160. Utricularia mannii Oliv.
161. Utricularia menziesii R.Br.
162. Utricularia meyeri Pilg.
163. Utricularia microcalyx (P.Taylor) P.Taylor
164. Utricularia micropetala Sm.
165. Utricularia minor L.
166. Utricularia minutissima Vahl
167. Utricularia mirabilis P.Taylor
168. Utricularia moniliformis P.Taylor
169. Utricularia muelleri Kamieński
170. Utricularia multicaulis Oliv.
171. Utricularia multifida R.Br.
172. Utricularia multispinosa (Miki) Miki
173. Utricularia myriocista A.St.-Hil. & Girard
174. Utricularia naikii S.R.Yadav, Sardesai & S.P.Gaikwad
175. Utricularia nana A.St.-Hil. & Girard
176. Utricularia naviculata P.Taylor
177. Utricularia × neglecta Lehm.
178. Utricularia nelumbifolia Gardner
179. Utricularia neottioides A.St.-Hil. & Girard
180. Utricularia nephrophylla Benj.
181. Utricularia nervosa Weber ex Benj.
182. Utricularia nigrescens Sylvén
183. Utricularia × ochroleuca R.W.Hartm.
184. Utricularia odontosepala Stapf
185. Utricularia odorata Pellegr.
186. Utricularia olivacea C.Wright ex Griseb.
187. Utricularia oliveriana Steyerm.
188. Utricularia oppositiflora R.Br.
189. Utricularia panamensis Steyerm. ex P.Taylor
190. Utricularia pantaneira Baleeiro, Gonella & R.W.Jobson
191. Utricularia papilliscapa R.W.Jobson & M.D.Barrett
192. Utricularia parthenopipes P.Taylor
193. Utricularia paulineae Lowrie
194. Utricularia pentadactyla P.Taylor
195. Utricularia peranomala P.Taylor
196. Utricularia perversa P.Taylor
197. Utricularia petersoniae P.Taylor
198. Utricularia petertaylorii Lowrie
199. Utricularia phusoidaoensis Suksathan & J.Parn.
200. Utricularia physoceras P.Taylor
201. Utricularia pierrei Pellegr.
202. Utricularia platensis Speg.
203. Utricularia pobeguinii Pellegr.
204. Utricularia poconensis Fromm
205. Utricularia podadena P.Taylor
206. Utricularia polygaloides Edgew.
207. Utricularia praelonga A.St.-Hil. & Girard
208. Utricularia praeterita P.Taylor
209. Utricularia praetermissa P.Taylor
210. Utricularia prehensilis E.Mey.
211. Utricularia pubescens Sm.
212. Utricularia pulchra P.Taylor
213. Utricularia punctata Wall. ex A.DC.
214. Utricularia purpurea Walter
215. Utricularia purpureocaerulea A.St.-Hil. & Girard
216. Utricularia pusilla Vahl
217. Utricularia quelchii N.E.Br.
218. Utricularia quinquedentata F.Muell. ex P.Taylor
219. Utricularia radiata Small
220. Utricularia ramosissima H.Wakab.
221. Utricularia raynalii P.Taylor
222. Utricularia recta P.Taylor
223. Utricularia reflexa Oliv.
224. Utricularia regia Zamudio & Olvera
225. Utricularia reniformis A.St.-Hil.
226. Utricularia resupinata B.D.Greene ex Bigelow
227. Utricularia reticulata Sm.
228. Utricularia rhododactylos P.Taylor
229. Utricularia rigida Benj.
230. Utricularia roraimensis N.E.Br.
231. Utricularia rosettifolia Alfasane & M.A.Hassan
232. Utricularia rostrata A.Fleischm. & Rivadavia
233. Utricularia sainthomia P.Biju, Josekutty, Janarth. & Augustine
234. Utricularia salwinensis Hand.-Mazz.
235. Utricularia sandersonii Oliv.
236. Utricularia sandwithii P.Taylor
237. Utricularia scandens Benj.
238. Utricularia schultesii A.Fernández
239. Utricularia simmonsii Lowrie, Cowie & Conran
240. Utricularia simplex R.Br.
241. Utricularia simulans Pilg.
242. Utricularia singeriana F.Muell.
243. Utricularia smithiana Wight
244. Utricularia speciosa R.Br.
245. Utricularia spinomarginata Suksathan & J.Parn.
246. Utricularia spiralis Sm.
247. Utricularia spruceana Benth. ex Oliv.
248. Utricularia stanfieldii P.Taylor
249. Utricularia steenisii P.Taylor
250. Utricularia stellaris L.f.
251. Utricularia steyermarkii P.Taylor
252. Utricularia striata Leconte ex Torr.
253. Utricularia striatula Sm.
254. Utricularia subramanyamii Janarth. & A.N.Henry
255. Utricularia subulata L.
256. Utricularia sunilii Naveen Kum. & K.M.P.Kumar
257. Utricularia tenella R.Br.
258. Utricularia tenuicaulis Miki
259. Utricularia tenuissima Tutin
260. Utricularia terrae-reginae P.Taylor
261. Utricularia tetraloba P.Taylor
262. Utricularia tortilis Welw. ex Oliv.
263. Utricularia trichophylla Spruce ex Oliv.
264. Utricularia tricolor A.St.-Hil.
265. Utricularia tridactyla P.Taylor
266. Utricularia tridentata Sylvén
267. Utricularia triflora P.Taylor
268. Utricularia triloba Benj.
269. Utricularia trinervia Benj.
270. Utricularia troupinii P.Taylor
271. Utricularia tubulata F.Muell.
272. Utricularia uliginosa Vahl
273. Utricularia uniflora R.Br.
274. Utricularia unifolia Ruiz & Pav.
275. Utricularia uxoris Gómez-Laur.
276. Utricularia velascoensis Kuntze
277. Utricularia violacea R.Br.
278. Utricularia viscosa Spruce ex Oliv.
279. Utricularia vitellina Ridl.
280. Utricularia volubilis R.Br.
281. Utricularia vulgaris L.
282. Utricularia wannanii R.W.Jobson & Baleeiro
283. Utricularia warburgii Goebel
284. Utricularia warmingii Kamieński
285. Utricularia welwitschii Oliv.
286. Utricularia westonii P.Taylor
287. Utricularia wightiana P.Taylor

More Than Just a Carnivore

While their carnivorous nature is undoubtedly fascinating, Utricularia are more than just predators. They play a crucial role in their respective ecosystems. By preying on small invertebrates, they help regulate populations and maintain ecological balance. Moreover, their presence can indicate the health of a wetland ecosystem, as they are sensitive to pollution and environmental degradation.

The Allure of Utricularia

For me, the allure of Utricularia lies in their understated beauty and complex biology. They challenge our preconceptions about plants, demonstrating that even the most seemingly delicate organisms can possess remarkable adaptations. Their ability to thrive in nutrient-poor environments, their intricate trapping mechanisms, and their sheer diversity make them a source of endless fascination.

Whether you’re a seasoned botanist or simply curious about the natural world, I encourage you to delve deeper into the world of Utricularia. These captivating plants offer a glimpse into the intricate workings of evolution and the remarkable diversity of life on Earth.