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.

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