Utricularia delicatula
Common names
bladderwort
Biostatus
Native – Endemic taxon
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledons other than Composites
Flower colours
Violet/Purple, White
Detailed description
Tiny leaves (4–6 mm long); flowers are helmet-like, usually 2–3 together, pale lilac to pale lavender, on erect slender stalks 2–3 cm tall; capsules dry, ovoid and filled with tiny seeds. Flowers occur from November to February and the globular fruit are persistent from autumn into winter.
Similar taxa
In New Zealand this species has no obvious close relatives. The rather small somewhat delicate, inflated pale white to lavender flowers (sometimes with a rather faint yellow eye) are especially distinctive. The typically linear leaves are very small, narrow and usually bright green, the traps are also very small (0.6 x 0.4 mm) and can be very hard to detect in the field. Outside New Zealand it has been confused with Australian U. lateriflora.
Distribution
Northern half of North Island (very rare); Chatham Island
Habitat
Coastal to lowland restiad-dominated bogs, in open ground, epsecially bare, freshly exposed peat, but also found threaded through liverworts and Sphagnum moss. On Chatham Island, it has been found growing on peaty soil on the margins of streams and in similar peaty turf with Oreomyrrhis on rock platforms exposed to salt spray and on occasion wave wash.
Current conservation status
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2022-2023 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Previous assessments can be found here.
- Conservation status of vascular plants in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2023. 2024. Peter J. de Lange, Jane Gosden, Shannel P. Courtney, Alexander J. Fergus, John W. Barkla, Sarah M. Beadel, Paul D. Champion, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Troy Makan and Pascale Michel Department of Conservation. Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2023 | Threatened – Nationally Vulnerable | Qualifiers: DPR, DPS, DPT, PD, RR
Threats
Habitat destruction: bog drainage; intensive farming; invasion by or regeneration of dense taller vegetation.
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Ecology
Flowering
November - February
Fruiting
Autumn - Winter
Propagation technique
Difficult and should not be removed from the wild.
Wetland plant indicator status rating
Information derived from the revised national wetland plant list prepared to assist councils in delineating and monitoring wetlands (Clarkson et al., 2021 Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research Contract Report LC3975 for Hawke’s Bay Regional Council). The national plant list categorises plants by the extent to which they are found in wetlands and not ‘drylands’. The indicator status ratings are OBL (obligate wetland), FACW (facultative wetland), FAC (facultative), FACU (facultative upland), and UPL (obligate upland). If you have suggestions for the Wetland Indicator Status Rating, please contact: [Enable JavaScript to view protected content]
OBL: Obligate Wetland
Almost always is a hydrophyte, rarely in uplands (non-wetlands).
Other information
Where To Buy
Not commercially available
Etymology
utricularia: A small bladder
delicatula: Somewhat delicate
NVS code
The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.
UTRDEL
Previous conservation statuses
The conservation status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2022-2023 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website. This report includes replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Previous assessments can be found here.
- Conservation status of vascular plants in Aotearoa New Zealand, 2023. 2024. Peter J. de Lange, Jane Gosden, Shannel P. Courtney, Alexander J. Fergus, John W. Barkla, Sarah M. Beadel, Paul D. Champion, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Troy Makan and Pascale Michel Department of Conservation. Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2017 | At Risk – Relict | Qualifiers: DP, PD
2012 | At Risk – Relict
2009 | At Risk – Relict | Qualifiers: DP, RR, Sp
2004 | Gradual Decline
Referencing and citations
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared by P.J. de Lange for NZPCN (1 June 2013)
NZPCN Fact Sheet citation
Please cite as: de Lange, P.J. (Year at time of access): Utricularia delicatula Fact Sheet (content continuously updated). New Zealand Plant Conservation Network. https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/utricularia-delicatula/ (Date website was queried)