Ecology and vegetative morphology of the carnivorous plantUtricularia dichotorna(Lentibulariaceae) in New Zealand

Abstract

Among the populations studied, the corolla, peduncle, foliage leaf, and bladders occasionally exhibited a reddish or purple pigmentation, apparently developed in a response to different environmental factors.Keywords Utricularia dichotoma; Lentibulariaceae; carnivorous plant; vegetative morphology; anthocyanins; stolon; traps; vegetation ecology; wetlands Abstract The occurrence of the carnivorous plant Utricularia dichotoma (including U. monanthos and U. novae-zelandiae) within different habitats throughout New Zealand was studied. Qualitative investigations on its ecology focused on plant sociological criteria and soil characters, including the qualitative amount of water and soil chemistry. A list of associated plant species is also provided. Results indicate that U. dichotoma prefers open wet habitats. Once established, however, it may grow in fertile and permanently submerged sites. The vegetative morphology of the species from different populations was also examined and correlated with ecological factors. Utricularia dichotoma basically consists of runner stolons, from each node of which arise various combinations of leaves, bladders (traps), and anchor and runner stolons. Plants of some populations also show simply branched, bladderbearing intermediate types of anchor and runner stolons (designated "simple stolons"). Some nodes of runner stolons support the development of a peduncle. In the populations studied, the onset of a dry sunny period was typically followed by flowering. Plants from Kopouatai Peat Dome exhibited certain distinctive morphological features not found in other populations, including more bladders per plant. B98046

Unusual developmental morphology and anatomy of vegetative organs in Utricularia dichotoma—leaf, shoot and root dynamics

“…Brugger and Rutishauser 1989;Rutishauser 2016). This variability was confirmed by Reut and Fineran (2000) on plants from U. dichotoma and thought to be correlated with the micro-habitat.…”

“…Memb ers of sections Polypompholyx and Tridentaria and some species of section Pleiochasia grow as rosette plants with foliage leaves, anchor stolons (rhizoids), bladders and inflorescences deriving from a short stem (Taylor 1989;Jobson et al 2018). However, species of section Lasiocaules and most species of section Pleiochasia, including U. dichotoma, additionally produce runner stolons which may carry leaves, several types of branched and unbranched stolons, bladders and occasionally inflorescences (Merl 1915;Lloyd 1942;Taylor 1989;Reut and Fineran 2000;Jobson et al 2018). In determined position on a stolon of terrestrial and aquatic utricularias, types and numbers of organs have been found to vary to a certain degree (e.g.…”

“…The great phenotypic plasticity and adaptability of Utricularia are associated with a high diversity of about 240 species, as it is the largest genus of carnivorous plants with an almost worldwide occurrence in generally nutrient-poor, wet to aquatic and open habitats (Reut and Fineran 2000;Poppinga et al 2015;Rutishauser 2016;Jobson et al 2018). Reut and Fineran (2000) outlined the developmental morphology and types of organs on stolons of U. dichotoma from eight sites in New Zealand and from one site in Tasmania. The early development of one foliage leaf and two flanking bladders on the stolon tip was described by Merl (1915) and confirmed by Reut and Fineran (2000).…”

“…Reut and Fineran (2000) outlined the developmental morphology and types of organs on stolons of U. dichotoma from eight sites in New Zealand and from one site in Tasmania. The early development of one foliage leaf and two flanking bladders on the stolon tip was described by Merl (1915) and confirmed by Reut and Fineran (2000). Lloyd (1942) reported another pattern of organ development in U. dichotoma and allied species, but his illustrations of U. monanthos do not fully conform with his description, for which he made no exact reference to the material studied.…”

Morphology and anatomy of three common everglades utricularia species; U. Gibba, U. Cornuta, and U. Subulata

“…Previous studies have documented that vegetative morphology varies with environmental conditions , Reut and Fineran 2000 Quantitative data taken included the number of flowers per inflorescence ( U cornuta and Ujuncea) and the number of segments and the diameter ofthe whorl ofinflated vegetative structures surrounding the inflorescence penduncle ( U radiata and U inflata).…”