Utricularia delicatula
Common name
bladderwort
Family
Lentibulariaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Native
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledons other than Composites
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
Current conservation status
The threat classification status of all known New Zealand vascular plant taxa at the rank of species and below were reassessed in 2017 using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) – more information about this can be found on the NZTCS website This report includes a statistical summary and brief notes on changes since 2012 and replaces all previous NZTCS lists for vascular plants. Authors: By Peter J. de Lange, Jeremy R. Rolfe, John W. Barkla, Shannel P. Courtney, Paul D. Champion, Leon R. Perrie, Sarah M. Beadel, Kerry A. Ford, Ilse Breitwieser, Ines Schönberger, Rowan Hindmarsh-Walls, Peter B. Heenan and Kate Ladley. Please note, threat classifications are often suggested by authors when publications fall between NZTCS assessment periods – a suggested threat classification status has not been assessed by the NZTCS panel.
Source: NZTCS and licensed by DOC for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
2017 | At Risk – Relict | Qualifiers: DP, PD
Previous conservation statuses
2012 | At Risk – Relict
2009 | At Risk – Relict | Qualifiers: DP, RR, Sp
2004 | Gradual Decline
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.
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).
Features
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.
Flowering
November - February
Flower colours
Violet/Purple, White
Fruiting
Autumn - Winter
Propagation technique
Difficult and should not be removed from the wild.
Threats
Habitat destruction: bog drainage; intensive farming; invasion by or regeneration of dense taller vegetation.
Etymology
utricularia: A small bladder
delicatula: Somewhat delicate
Where To Buy
Not commercially available
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)