Any of several submerged, insectivorous plants of the genus Utricularia, represented in the North Country by the Horned Bladderwort ( Utricularia cornuta), Humped Bladderwort ( Utricularia gibba), Flat Leaf Bladderwort ( Utricularia intermedia), Common Bladderwort ( Utricularia macrorhiza), Lesser Bladderwort ( Utricularia minor), and Lavender Bladderwort ( Utricularia resupinata). Named for the tiny air bladders which give it buoyancy. Gracefully airy in the water it becomes a shapeless gooey mass out of water.
Bladderwort is the common name given to the plants of the genus Utricularia, the largest genus of carnivorous plants. There are over two hundred species found in fresh water and wet soil across every continent other than Antarctica. Bladderworts are cultivated for their flowers which are often compared with snapdragons and orchids.