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Volume I (1961) - Flora of New Zealand Indigenous Tracheophyta - Psilopsida, Lycopsida, Filicopsida, Gymnospermae, Dicotyledons
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Utricularia L.

UTRICULARIA L., 1753

Scapes with 1-several fls; calyx deeply 2-lobed, segs often enlarging as capsule matures. Corolla spurred at back, 2-lipped; upper lip erect, entire or 2-lobed; lower lip spreading, us. 3-6-lobed; palate us. well-developed; stamens 2, ± curved; style short; stigma 2-lobed. Capsule subglobose, 2-valved, or dehiscing irregularly; seeds ∞. Herbs with filiform lvs and ∞ to few bladders that trap small animals. Widespread genus with some 250 spp. U. monanthos occurs also in Tasmania, and U. lateriflora in Tasmania and Australia. The other N.Z. spp. appear to be endemic.

Key

1.
Plant aquatic; stems floating, bearing submerged multifid lvs
2
Plant of bogs and boggy ground; stems obsolete; lvs radical, entire, early deciduous
3
2
Stems elongate, up to 4 dm. long; lvs rather distant, ± 2-3 cm. long
1. protrusa
Stems not > c. 15 cm. long; lvs rather close-set, not > c. 10 mm. long
2. mairii
3
Lower lip of corolla distinctly 3-lobed
4
Lower lip of corolla entire or very slightly retuse
5
4
Upper lip of corolla deeply 2-lobed
8. colensoi
Upper lip of corolla entire or slightly retuse
9. vulcanica
5
Upper lip of corolla distinctly 2-lobed; spur long
3. delicatula
Upper lip of corolla entire or slightly retuse; spur short
6
6
Corolla pale lilac to almost white; fls us. > 2 per scape
7
Corolla dark purple; fls us. 1-(2) per scape
8
7
Spur short, thick, < lip; fls approximate
4. novae-zelandiae
Spur conical, ± = lip; fls distant
6. lateriflora
8
Scape 2-10 cm. long, calyx-lobes oblong, corolla c. 9 mm. diam
5. monanthos
Scape 5-10 mm. long, calyx-lobes suborbicular, corolla c. 7·5 mm. diam
7. subsimilis

Our knowledge of the N.Z. spp. has been but little advanced since Cheeseman's treatment of 1925. They need to be restudied, using fresh material. Herbarium material has us. been poorly prepared. The following treatment is provisional only.

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