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Utricularia inflata
Also called Floating Bladderwort, Large Swollen Bladderwort
Utricularia inflata, commonly known as the swollen bladderwort, inflated bladderwort, or large floating bladderwort, is a large suspended aquatic carnivorous plant that belongs to the genus Utricularia. It is a perennial that is native to the southeastern coastal plains of the United States. It has often been confused with U. radiata, which is similar but smaller than U. inflata. Since 1980, U. inflata has been reported to exist in locations beyond its traditional range, such as the Adirondack Mountains in New York, southeastern Massachusetts, and in Washington State. Studies on the populations in the Adirondacks suggest that an introduction of U inflata. to a location where it naturalizes can lead to altered sediment chemistry by reducing the net primary productivity of native species.
Utricularia inflata is one of the many Utricularia species that is cultivated by carnivorous plant enthusiasts. Because it requires no dormancy and due to its swift growth, it is one of the easier suspended aquatic species to cultivate. Barry Rice, author of Growing Carnivorous Plants, says that this species is the easiest suspended aquatic Utricularia that he has grown. Rice also mentions that U. inflata has been used as an aid in the cultivation of particularly difficult species, such as Aldrovanda vesiculosa, that are much more sensitive to high nutrient concentrations. When growing these species together, U. inflata will grow rapidly in the presence of higher nutrients, which allows A. vesiculosa to enjoy the conditions it thrives in.
Rice, the Washington Department of Ecology, and the United States Geological Survey's Nonindigenous Aquatic Species information resource all indicate that cultivation of this species is suspected as the most likely source of its introduction into Horseshoe Lake in Washington.
Utricularia inflata is native to the southeastern United States. Peter Taylor's 1989 taxonomic monograph listed the following states where native populations of this species have been located: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, New Jersey, North and South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. In addition to these states, the United States Department of Agriculture's online PLANTS database acknowledges populations in Connecticut, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, New York, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania. The states of Maryland, Michigan, and New York have classified U. inflata as an endangered or threatened species while Tennessee has listed it as a species with "special concern".
Utricularia adpressa · Utricularia albiflora · Utricularia albocaerulea · Utricularia alpina · Utricularia ameliae · Florida purple bladderwort · Utricularia andongensis · Utricularia antennifera · Utricularia appendiculata · Utricularia arcuata · Utricularia arenaria · Utricularia arnhemica
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Utricularia inflata by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts are shared under the same licence.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
