Utricularia purpurea

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Utricularia purpurea
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Lamiales Family: Lentibulariaceae Genus: Utricularia Subgenus: Utricularia Section: Vesiculina Species: U. purpurea
Binomial name
Utricularia purpurea Walter
Synonyms
U. saccata Elliott nom. illeg. U. violacea Barton nom. illeg. Vesiculina purpurea (Walter) Raf. Vesiculina saccata (Elliott) Raf.

Utricularia purpurea is a medium-sized suspended aquatic carnivorous plant that belongs to the genus Utricularia. U. purpurea is endemic to North and Central America.^[1] It has been suggested that U. purpurea may have partially lost its appetite for carnivory. Richards (2001) did an extensive study in the field on it and noted that trapping rates of the usual Utricularia prey were significantly lower than in other species in the genus. Richards concludes that this species can still trap and digest arthropod prey in its specialized bladder traps, but does so sparingly. Instead, it harbors a community of algae, zooplankton, and debris in the bladders that indicates U. purpurea favors a mutualistic interaction in place of a predator-prey relationship.^[2]

[edit] See also

• List of Utricularia species

[edit] References