A Historical Perspective of Bladderworts (Utricularia): Traps, Carnivory and Body Architecture

Abstract

The genus Utricularia includes around 250 species of carnivorous plants, commonly known as bladderworts. The generic name Utricularia was coined by Carolus Linnaeus in reference to the carnivorous organs (Utriculus in Latin) present in all species of the genus. Since the formal proposition by Linnaeus, many species of Utricularia were described, but only scarce information about the biology for most species is known. All Utricularia species are herbs with vegetative organs that do not follow traditional models of morphological classification. Since the formal description of Utricularia in the 18th century, the trap function has intrigued naturalists. Historically, the traps were regarded as floating organs, a common hypothesis that was maintained by different botanists. However, Charles Darwin was most likely the first naturalist to refute this idea, since even with the removal of all traps, the plants continued to float. More recently, due mainly to methodological advances, detailed studies on the trap function and mechanisms could be investigated. This review shows a historical perspective on Utricularia studies which focuses on the traps and body organization.

Development, Diversity and Dynamics of Plant Architecture in Utricularia subgenus Polypompholyx – Towards Understanding Evolutionary Processes in the Lentibulariaceae

“…More seedling studies are required to clarify the nature of cotyledons/primary organs (cf. Miranda et al, 2021).…”

The Localization of Cell Wall Components in the Quadrifids of Whole-Mount Immunolabeled Utricularia dichotoma Traps

“…The genus Utricularia is the most diverse genus among carnivorous plants, both in terms of plant size and environmental adaptations, as well as plant body architecture. It is also the richest in number of species, with around 250 species [1][2][3][4]. All of the Utricularia species are rootless herbs.…”

Biological Potential of Carnivorous Plants from Nepenthales

“…However, since then, our knowledge of this ecological group has increased significantly. Although insects are an important prey group, they capture prey ranging from protozoa and various invertebrates to even small vertebrates such tadpoles, fish fry, salamanders, geckos, or, in rare cases, mammals [6][7][8]. In some carnivorous plants, there is a change from carnivory to coprophagy.…”