Aldrovanda vesiculosa
Waterwheel plant
Unknown · CC BY-SA 3.0
About
The waterwheel plant, *Aldrovanda vesiculosa*, is notable for its rapid, visible movement, utilizing snap-traps to capture small aquatic invertebrates. These traps are arranged in whorls around a central, free-floating stem, giving rise to its common name.
Field notes
Morphology
The plant is rootless and consists of floating stems reaching 6–40 cm. Trap leaves, which are two-lobed, form snap-traps that snap shut in 10–20 milliseconds. These traps are surrounded by 6–8 mm bristles, and the plant can grow rapidly, producing a new whorl once or more each day in optimal conditions.
Distribution & habitat
Native to Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia, the species is found along avian migratory routes in clean, shallow, warm standing water, including fens, peat-bog pools, and river deltas.
Ecology
The plant captures small aquatic invertebrates using snap-traps lined with trigger hairs. This trapping mechanism requires warm conditions of at least 20 °C. It also supplements nutrients by re-utilizing resources from senesced shoots and has a high affinity for mineral nutrients in water.
History & etymology
First mentioned and illustrated in 1691 by Leonard Plukenet, who named it *Lenticula palustris Indica*. The modern name *Aldrovanda vesiculosa* originated from Gaetano Lorenzo Monti in 1747, honoring Ulisse Aldrovandi.
Conservation
The species is facing significant threats from habitat degradation, environmental changes (such as acidification and eutrophication), and potential illegal trade. It has declined and is listed as increasingly rare in many countries.
Habitat
- Altitude
- 0–1,000 m
- Altitude Class
- intermediate
- Native To
- Japan, Russia, Australia, Germany
Cultivation
- Difficulty
- difficult
- Temperature
- Summer 20–30°C / Winter 2–10°C
- Humidity
- Aquatic
- Notes
- Rootless free-floating aquatic snap-trap (aquatic Venus flytrap). Requires clean, slightly acidic water and winter turion dormancy.
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