Plants of
South Australia
Utricularia lateriflora
Lentibulariaceae
Tiny Bladderwort,
Small Bladderwort
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Regional Species Conservation Assessments per IBRA subregion.
Least concern
Near threatened
Rare
Vulnerable
Endangered
Critically endangered
Extinct
Data deficient
Adelaide
Arkaroola
Ceduna
Coober Pedy
Hawker
Innamincka
Marla
Marree
Mount Gambier
Oodnadatta
Renmark
Wudinna
Keith
Yunta
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Botanical art

Kath Alcock paintings: 4

Common names

Tiny Bladderwort

Small Bladderwort

Etymology

Utricularia from the Latin 'utriculus' meaning a small bottle or bladder; referring to a small insect trapping sac attached to the underground leaves. Lateriflora from the Latin 'latus' meaning side and 'florus' meaning flower; referring to the species having lateral flowers. Due to the short pedicels the flowers appear to be fastened directly to the peduncle axis.

Distribution and status

Found on Kangaroo Island, the southern Mount Lofty ranges and the lower South-east in South Australia, growing in heathland on wet, sandy or peaty soils. Also found in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania. Native. Rare in South Australia. Common in the other states.
Herbarium regions: Southern Lofty, Kangaroo Island, South Eastern
NRM regions: Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges, Kangaroo Island, South East
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)

Plant description

Tiny terrestrial herb usually only observed when flowering. Leaves inconspicuous, scarcely emerging above the ground, very narrowly obovate to 20 mm long and 0.5 mm wide. Inflorescence erect, solitary or sometimes with 2 or more reddish stalk, with up to 5 pale lilac to mauve or violet with white or yellow spot at base of lower lip flowers. Flowering between October to January. Fruits are reddish brown globular capsule to 3 mm diameter, splitting into two. Seeds are tiny, brown and ovoid to 0.3 mm long and 0.2 mm wide.

Seed collection and propagation

Collect seeds between November and February. Collect mature capsules, those turning reddish brown colour, fat and containing brown seeds. Can collect individual capsules or break off the whole stem. Place the capsules in a tray and leave to dry for two weeks. Then rub the capsules gently by hand to dislodge the seeds. Use a sieve to separate the unwanted material. Store the seeds with a desiccant such as dried silica beads or dry rice, in an air tight container in a cool and dry place. Seed viability is usually high.

Seeds stored:
  Hide
LocationNo. of seeds
(weight grams)
Number
of plants
Date
collected
Collection number
Collection location
Date
stored
% ViabilityStorage
temperature
 
MSB

27,000 (0.26 g)
8-Jan-2008DJD1026
South Eastern
80%
BGA3,600 (0.06 g)100+16-Dec-2008DJD1432
Kangaroo Island
20-Jul-2009100%-18°C
BGA53,400 (0.47 g)100+12-Dec-2017DJD3711
South Eastern
30-Jun-201895%-18°C, -80°C
BGA21,000 (0.169 g)10014-Jan-2021JRG792
Kangaroo Island
28-Jun-202195%-18°C
BGA20,600 (0.165 g)10012-Jan-2021DJD3959
Kangaroo Island
28-Jun-2021100%-18°C
Location: BGA — the seeds are stored at the Adelaide Botanic Gardens, MSB — the seeds are stored at the Millennium Seed Bank, Kew, England.
Number of plants: This is the number of plants from which the seeds were collected.
Collection location: The Herbarium of South Australia's region name.
% Viability: Percentage of filled healthy seeds determined by a cut test or x-ray.