# humped bladderwort (*Utricularia gibba*) The humped bladderwort is a special plant that lives in water. It has tiny bladders that trap small bugs to eat, making it a unique and fascinating plant to discover! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 1 - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![humped bladderwort](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Utricularia_gibba_flower_01.jpg&width=800) Photo: Alex Popovkin, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Utricularia_gibba_flower_01.jpg) ## Appearance The humped bladderwort has delicate, bright yellow flowers, often with a reddish tinge, that pop up on slender stalks above the water. Its submerged stems are green and hair-like, lacking true roots, making it appear to float freely. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Lamiales - **Family:** Lentibulariaceae - **Genus:** Utricularia ## Interesting facts - Its delicate yellow flowers are said to resemble tiny, cheerful hooded faces! - Its underwater traps are some of the fastest-acting in the entire plant kingdom! - The humped bladderwort can survive completely drying out, only to sprout again later! - This plant can grow almost anywhere there's fresh water, even in muddy ditches! ## Special abilities - **Vacuum Trap Hunter:** Humped bladderwort can rapidly suck in tiny aquatic creatures using bladder-like traps to get vital nutrients. - **Free-Floating Explorer:** This plant has no roots! It floats freely in water, allowing it to explore and grow in various depths. - **Super Spreader:** Humped bladderwort can quickly grow new plants from tiny stem fragments, helping it spread fast. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 5-20 cm - **Spread:** 10-100 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.5-1 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** Cyclops copepod (*Cyclops strenuus*) — Its bladders trap and consume this tiny aquatic crustacean. - **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Bees visit its small yellow flowers to collect nectar. - **Shelter:** Common water flea (*Daphnia pulex*) — Water fleas can hide among its tangled underwater stems. ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Decomposer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/decomposer): Describes organisms that break down dead organic material, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Freshwater](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/freshwater): Freshwater habitats include non-saline aquatic environments such as rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands, vital for numerous species. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't touch plants in the wild, as some can be delicate. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify humped bladderwort? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is humped bladderwort? 5-20 cm ### How wide does humped bladderwort spread? 10-100 cm ### How big are the flowers on humped bladderwort? 0.5-1 cm ### When does humped bladderwort bloom? Summer ### Is humped bladderwort edible? No ### Is humped bladderwort toxic? None ### What is humped bladderwort's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Shark River Slough Archeological District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/shark-river-slough-archeological-district) — Florida, US · Historic District - [Paul B Johnson State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/paul-b-johnson-state-park) — Mississippi, US · State Park ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Humped Bladderwort: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/humped-bladderwort)