Common Bladderwort vs Flat-Leaved Bladderwort

Utricularia vulgaris compared with Utricularia intermedia

Key Differences

• Common Bladderwort is Near Threatened while Flat-Leaved Bladderwort is Critically Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Bladderwort	Flat-Leaved Bladderwort
Kingdom same	Plantae (पादप)	Plantae (पादप)
Phylum same	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class same	Magnoliopsida (मैग्नोलियोप्सीडा)	Magnoliopsida (मैग्नोलियोप्सीडा)
Order same	Lamiales (Lamiales)	Lamiales (Lamiales)
Family same	Lentibulariaceae	Lentibulariaceae
Genus same	Utricularia	Utricularia
Species	Utricularia vulgaris	Utricularia intermedia

Evolutionary Relationship

Common Bladderwort and Flat-Leaved Bladderwort share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Utricularia.

Conservation Status

Common Bladderwort

NT — Near Threatened

Flat-Leaved Bladderwort

CR — Critically Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Bladderwort	Flat-Leaved Bladderwort
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common Bladderwort

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and United States. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Flat-Leaved Bladderwort

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, temperate coniferous forests, and Mediterranean forests and woodlands within the Palearctic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Found across Europe (5 countries) and North America (Canada, United States). Currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Common Bladderwort

The common bladderwort (<em>Utricularia vulgaris</em>) is a carnivorous aquatic plant belonging to the family Lentibulariaceae. It is classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List, reflecting population declines linked to habitat loss and water quality degradation. The species has been recorded across diverse terrestrial tropical to temperate habitats in Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and the United States. <em>Utricularia vulgaris</em> is typically found in slow-moving or still freshwater bodies such as ponds, lakes, ditches, and marshes. It is rootless and free-floating, with finely divided submerged stems bearing numerous small bladder-like traps that capture zooplankton, small aquatic invertebrates, and even mosquito larvae through a rapid suction mechanism. The plant produces yellow snapdragon-like flowers on emergent stems above the water surface during summer. Its carnivorous strategy allows it to supplement nutrients in nutrient-poor aquatic environments. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 5 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇸 United States