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U. heterosepala, graminifolia, or smithiana?

  • Thread starter nimbulan
  • Start date
I've been growing this plant for 2 years and this is the first time I've gotten flowers out of it. It tried once before but I lost the flower stalks when cleaning up a pest infestation and ended up just throwing out the pot entirely. I think it likes living in the water tray much more than in its original pot.

In any case, the plant came labeled as U. heterosepala. I understand that species is commonly confused with U. graminifolia (much more common) so I was always dubious about the ID. Now that I have flowers, they appear too large to be graminifolia or heterosepala and the morphology looks strikingly similar to smithiana. Do we have any Utricularia experts here? A relevant paper: http://tai2.ntu.edu.tw/taiwania/pdf/tai.2017.62.99.pdf

U. smithiana? by Nimbulan, on Flickr

U. smithiana? by Nimbulan, on Flickr
 
Wonder if it could even be a hybrid since hybrid vigor does sometimes manifest as larger than typical flowers?
 
Wonder if it could even be a hybrid since hybrid vigor does sometimes manifest as larger than typical flowers?

I have no idea if any of these species are even capable of hybridizing. It would have to be purposeful though, and I'd be really surprised if someone managed to do it and then mislabeled the plant.
 
Looks similar to what I have labeled as U. heterosepala as well, from what I remember when it flowered about a year and a half ago.
This post might shed some light for you as well? Utricularia heterosepala
 
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Pretty flower. I thought it was U. gram...
 
Looks similar to what I have labeled as U. heterosepala as well, from what I remember when it flowered about a year and a half ago.
This post might shed some light for you as well? Utricularia heterosepala

That link was helpful, thank you. I overlooked the bracts in the species key in this paper - and heterosepala has no bracts but this plant does. The only distinguishing characteristics between graminifolia and smithiana are flower size (I don't know if this is measured with the corolla flattened or not, it's right in the middle of the two species' flower sizes unflattened) and the seed shape, though I do not know if it's possible to self these plants or not. Also apparently according to Taylor, U. graminifolia leaves are always green, while this plant produces purple leaves terrestrially and green leaves aquatically.
 
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That link was helpful, thank you. I overlooked the bracts in the species key in this paper - and heterosepala has no bracts but this plant does. The only distinguishing characteristics between graminifolia and smithiana are flower size (I don't know if this is measured with the corolla flattened or not, it's right in the middle of the two species' flower sizes unflattened) and the seed shape, though I do not know if it's possible to self these plants or not. Also apparently according to Taylor, U. graminifolia leaves are always green, while this plant produces purple leaves terrestrially and green leaves aquatically.

Oh good, I'm glad! Is there info about smithiana as far as purple leaves go? Now I'm intrigued about my own plant...
 
There is a picture in that paper of smithiana with purple leaves. They don't cover graminifolia unfortunately, since that species apparently doesn't grow in Taiwan.
 
  • #10
Actually Utricularia graminifolia has been introduced to Taiwan and grows there. Here's a link to a paper with more information on it. I have been to the site but don't recall seeing any smithiana there, so it may have been a later introduction.
 
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