Utricularia (Bladderworts)
Utricularia (Bladderworts)
Utricularia (Bladderworts)
Utricularia (Bladderworts)
Utricularia (Bladderworts)
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Utricularia (Bladderworts)
Utricularia (Bladderworts)
Utricularia (Bladderworts)
Utricularia (Bladderworts)
Utricularia (Bladderworts)
Utricularia (Bladderworts)
Utricularia (Bladderworts)
Utricularia (Bladderworts)
Utricularia (Bladderworts)
Utricularia (Bladderworts)
Utricularia (Bladderworts)
Habitat and Distribution
- Utricularia, commonly called Bladderworts, is a large cosmopolitan genus consisting of over 120 species, about 30 of which occur in India. They are widely distributed in tropical and temperate regions. In India, Utricularia aurea, inflexa var. stellaris, and U. flexuosa are common throughout the country. U. bifida is abundant in the Chota Nagpur Plateau, while U. caerulae is found along the Western Ghats and west coast. U. brachiata occurs in Sikkim, West Bengal, Arunachal Pradesh, and parts of the Garhwal Himalayas. These plants are mostly found in freshwater wetlands, waterlogged fields, moss-covered rocks, and moist soils during the rainy season.
Morphological Features
- Utricularia species are delicate aquatic or semi-aquatic herbs that often exhibit heterophylly, meaning they bear more than one type of leaf. The basal leaves are simple and rosette-forming, while the dissected leaves are more complex and bear tiny bladders or utricles—specialized organs used for trapping prey. The plants bear few-flowered inflorescences, and the bisexual flowers come in various bright colors including white, yellow, blue, and purple. The corolla typically forms two lips—an upper and a lower flap.
Insect-Trapping Mechanism
- Utricularia traps minute aquatic insects using small, hollow bladders attached to its dissected leaves. Each bladder has a trap door and sensitive bristles at the mouth. When an insect touches these hairs, the trap door quickly opens, sucking the insect in along with a rush of water. Once the bladder is full, the door closes, and digestive enzymes secreted by the inner lining begin to break down the prey. After digestion and absorption, the bladder resets, ready to trap another insect. This entire trapping action happens in a fraction of a second.
Medicinal and Ornamental Importance
- Several Utricularia species have ethnobotanical and ornamental value. aurea and U. reticulata are commonly used as aquatic ornamental plants, especially in aquariums and rockeries. U. stellaris is used traditionally to treat cough, U. caerulae for wound dressing, and U. bifida for urinary problems.
