Question: I'm struggling to definitively I.D. this small bladderwort - I can't decide between U. gibba, U. minor, or possibly U. …
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Question
I'm struggling to definitively I.D. this small bladderwort - I can't decide between U. gibba, U. minor, or possibly U. geminscapa. It was growing at the boggy/peaty edge near a bunch of bulrushes on Lake Arrowhead, York county, Maine. Perhaps you can guide me as to what to look for, and how to tell them apart? Much appreciated. Debbie
Answer
Dear Debbie, it is hard to identify some groups of plants from images, including bladderworts, but let me take you through my thought process. You listed three possible species. It does not appear to be Utricularia minor because the leaf-like branches are not flattened (they are capillary and noticeably narrower than the main axis of the plant). It doe snot appear to be U. geminiscapa because the branches are divided too few times and there are not cleistogamous flowers (which are often, but not always present). Given the small size of the flowers and the branches being branches 1-3 time in the image, U. gibba looks like a good match (as best I can tell). Best wishes.
