Citation: L., Sp. Pl. 18 (1753).

Derivation: Latin utriculus, a small bottle; alluding to the bladder-like traps.

Synonymy: Not Applicable

Common name: Bladderworts.

Description:
Aquatic, terrestrial or epiphytic herbs without true roots; leaves (probably never true leaves, but modified stems) either divided into capillary segments or entire and linear to obovate, often apparently absent at anthesis, rosulate or distributed on more or less elongated stolons; traps very small or minute, bladder-like, with a door which opens and closes to capture small organisms, and with varied external appendages.

Inflorescence usually racemose, rarely flowers solitary-scapose; bracts always present, basifixed or medifixed; 2 bracteoles usually present; calyx lobes 2 or rarely 4; corolla yellow or shades of pink or violet, less commonly white, blue or red, tube very short, lower lip usually spurred. Polypompholyx Lehm.,Nov. Stirp. Pugill. 8:48 (1844).

Distribution:  Over 200 species, cosmopolitan but mainly tropical, 56 species in Australia, mainly in the north.

Biology: No text

Key to Species:

1. Leaves divided into capillary segments; bracteoles absent; submerged aquatic	U. australis 1.
1. Leaves undivided or apparently absent; bracteoles present; terrestrial on wet ground
2. Calyx lobes 4	U. tenella 4.
2. Calyx lobes 2
3. Flowers alternate, distant; bracts basifixed; sterile bracts present on the peduncle and on the inflorescence axis	U. lateriflora 3.
3. Flowers solitary terminal or whorled; bracts more or less medifixed; sterile bracts absent
4. Flowers solitary terminal; inflorescence 2.5-6 cm high; bracts distinctly medifixed; corolla 4-8 mm wide, the spur about twice as long as the lower lip	U. violacea 5.
4. Flowers whorled or in opposite pairs; inflorescences 10-50 cm high; bracts very shortly produced below; corolla 1-2 cm wide, the spur shorter than the lower lip	U. dichotoma 2.

Author: Not yet available