Common Bladderwort

Common name: Common Bladderwort (Greater Bladderwort)

Scientific name: Utricularia vulgaris

Dimensions:
  Flower: ½-¾" (1-2 cm) long
  Plant height: Aquatic; flower stalks 6-8" (15-20 cm) above water surface

Blooming period: July-August

Habitat: Bogs, marshes, ponds, quiet waters

Description: This small, yellow snapdragon- like aquatic flower appears on a leafless stalk several inches above the water; the 3-lobed lower lip is about as long as the upper lip, with a forward-directed spur about two-thirds the length of the lower lip. This floating plant is carnivorous with filament-like leaves floating horizontally below the surface, and scattered throughout the leaves are tiny bladders that entrap minute water life, providing nutrition for the plant. Bladderwort family. (July 11)