Utricularia gibba L.
| Etymology | Genus | Having bladders or shaped like little bottles, referring the carnivorous traps |
|---|---|---|
| Species | Humped or swollen, referring to the inflated base of the lower lip of the corolla | |
| Family | Lentibulariaceae | |
| Synonyms | Vesiculina gibba (L.) Raf. | |
| Common Names | Humped Bladderwort, Floating Bladderwort | |
| Status | Cryptogenic | |
| Form | Aquatic Herb | |
| Native Distribution | Tropical & Subtropical | |
Diagnostics
A common bladderwort that can be found in freshwater ponds. It can be identified from the small yellow flowers emerging from the water body. The shape of the flower is distinct for the species.
Interesting Facts
The Humped Bladderwort is a carnivorous plant that captures and feeds on small aquatic organisms via bladder-like traps. These traps when activated via trigger hairs when a prey brush pass, expands and suck them inside, where they will be slowly digested. This species is probably the most commonly found in the wild in Singapore.
A mass mat of aquatic stems with some flowers of Utricularia gibba in a pond at Ang Mo Kio West Park
Flower closeup.
Tiny carnivorous traps.
Closeup of the traps.
Dense flowers at Marina Grove (2026).