Wednesday's Wildflower: Horned Bladderwort & Small Butterwort
Utricularia cornuta, Horned Bladderwort Submitted by Carole Tebay, Longleaf Pine Chapter Photo by Carol Tebay, Escambia County "How charming," was my thought upon noticing dainty yellow flowers blooming on the floor of a nearly dry ephemeral pond. Then I remembered their identification and realized I was strolling among predators. The diminutive horned bladderwort, Utricularia cornuta , has an underground bladder which sucks in tiny insects and worms when its hairs are triggered. The plant's genus, Utricularia, comes from the Latin for bladderwort. Cornuta, is from the Latin, horned, which describes the horn on the snapdragon-like flower. Thus the common name, horned bladderwort. It is also called leafless bladderwort because the small leaves are underground. The flowers of the horned bladderwort are a reminder of the drama taking place in the world just below our feet. Family Name: Bladderwort Genus/Species: Utricularia cornuta Common Name(s): Horn...