Embryonic floats:
Utricularia radiata is one of several bladderwort species that produce interesting sets of floats on its
inflorescence. The only other US species that does this is the much larger U. inflata.
Here you can see the set of floats early in development. At this stage,
the structure is only about 1.5 cm across.
These photographs were taken through the wall of a 5-liter glass terrarium I always
travel with when in Utricularia territory. What? You don't
travel with a terrarium? How peculiar. It encourages interesting conversations with airport bag-inspection personnel.
As I said, we were trying to get to a state park in time to set up our tent. But after all our distractions,
night had caught us still far from our
destination. Finding a campsite started sounding complicated. Then, raindrops began pattering the windshield. We started
floating the idea of finding
a hotel instead of setting up tent.
Here is a bladdery photograph of Utricularia radiata;
students of the genus will appreciate the regularly dichotomous leaf branching visible even
on these young leaves.
