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Aquatic Utricularia in Hawaii River?

Roarbark

Roarbark

Interesting Specimen
Yesterday I was frolicking by the river, clambering over rocks to an often used jumping spot. Imagine my suprise: as i looked downward to find a good foothold for a particularly difficult spot, I looked straight into a small pool of water. A pool of water with an aquatic bladderwort in it. I crawled down on my hands and knees, examining it, and making sure my eyes hadn't deceived me, (during which my friends started at my strangely[I was after all, staring straight into a tiny pile of "slime"]) I improvised a carrier (picked a piece of grass from the same pool of water, which had bladderwort wound around its roots, and stuck that in a bottle of Root-beer I had bought from 7-11 earlier in the day.

Has anyone heard of [a] species of aquatic bladderwort being found in Hawaii's river? (specifically wailuku) Now that im thinking about it, i seem to remember encountering one quite awhile ago, and dismissing it as a mere lookalike. I will hopefully upload pictures eventually, but its raining, i got a fairly small sample, and it is very tiny, as you can imagine. I can however clearly see the plant's bladders, a couple of which look full (the same pool is likely used by mosquitoes for breeding) The pool was only about 2-3 cups of water, and the bladderwort shared the area with mosquito larvae, grasses, and algae blooms. Thoughts?

-Justin
 
Interesting. I had always thought that the only naturally occurring carnivore in hawaii was the Hawaii variety of the D. Anglica.

I couldn't get either of the links you provided to work today, but thanks, ill keep trying them.
 
U. gibba is listed as non-native, naturalized in Hawaii. Probably introduced either accidentally or intentionally like the wretched tree frogs.

There are Sphagnum bogs on Maui and reports of Drosera. Drosera has not been confirmed.
 
which reminds me, also while clambering over the rocks, i caught and killed a coqui :). but also :/. i dont like killing them, but that's how it is at this point...
 
I was looking over the report of U. gibba on the Big Island. It was originally known from a single collection on the Stainback Highway and apparently sparingly naturalized (manual of Flowering Plants of Hawaii). I have gone looking up and down that place and haven't seen there. I have however seen it in pet shops in Hawaii tangled in the aquarium plants. I had gotten one of these and it really never did much for me. Wonder if it is still in the fish tank with the fish....

I had heard also of Drosera on Maui and gone to look into it. The people that had them indicated that theirs were from the Alakai Swamp on Kauai.

Also got Sphagnum bogs on Big Island also. Not sure that the ones on Maui really count as "real" Sphagnum bogs. However, there are bogs on most of the Hawaiian Islands. A few I have been able to visit. Came up with one odd possibility on why they are only on Kauai. Most of the islands are too young and substrate too young. Not weathered enough to provided acidic, low nutrient conditions.......

Mach Fukada
 
Aloha My friend. I asked you about those guys a long time ago. I have gotten seeds. got them growing. Oddly enough that population is considered a low land bog for Hawaii. Most of the bogs seems to happen at about 4000 feet elevation on most islands. I have been to the one on Mt. Kaala. The Sphagnum there was introduced and is a weed. Another factor I have considered is based on what the bird people tell me the migratory birds tend to return to the same locations year after year. Very little between island movement.

Oddly enough looking at the seeds my plants are producing and comparing them with other sundews D. anglica seeds are huge. Can almost wonder if they really we stuck on a birds feet and not somewhere else.....


Mach Fukada in Kula Maui
 
The Kanaele Bog is considered low level at 2,100ft above sea level. The other D. anglica station on Kaua`i is the Alakai Swamp at 4,000-4,500 ft. From what I've heard the Drosera at the Alakai Swamp is not growing in Sphagnum.

I've been growing plants from seeds from both locations. There appears to be a slight morphological difference in the leaf shape between the populations and the Kanaele Bog plants appear to be more vigorous under my conditions.
 
  • #10
The indigenous Sphagnum in Hawaii are only known (AFAIK based on a checklist) from the Big Island and Maui. My understanding is that on the Big Island it was originally know from the Kohala Mts., but has become spread around, unintentionally, by people mending/making fences. I recall smthing about a silversword bog on the Big Island and assumed it was a sphagnum bog also, but that I am uncertain. I do not know about the Sphagnum on Maui. Supposedly in the West Maui Mts. I have never seen it as of yet. The Sphagnum on Mt. Kaala on Oahu was planted there by a person.

I see the same differences between the two populations to D. anglica from Kauai. However, for me the Alakai Swamp population seems to do better. It might have a lot to do with my high elevation conditions and year round cool mild climate. Gave some to a friend living near sea level in Kihei and they made summer hibernacula. I suppose these guys still need a certain amount of cool temps......

Mach Fukada
 
  • #11
I guess we have strayed from Utricularia however carnivorous plants and Sphagnum in Hawaii is somewhat related to this topic :)

I've noticed with the temperatures get to the mid 80's the Alakai Swamp more or less stops growing after putting out a few stunted leaves. I suppose this is summer hibernacula of sorts. Provided the plants survive this phase has lasted around 6 months for me.

Ivan Snyder tells me he hasn't noticed much growth difference between the two populations.
 
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