Utricularia dichotoma
Fairy aprons
Allthingsnative · CC BY-SA 4.0
About
A variable, perennial terrestrial bladderwort, *Utricularia dichotoma*, is notable for its attractive mauve or purple fan-shaped flowers. It is a widespread species found across Australia and New Zealand, often thriving in wet locations.
Field notes
Morphology
The plant is a perennial herb with underground trailing stems and bladders 1.5–2 mm in diameter. Leaves are typically absent or few, ranging from oval, spoon-shaped to narrow-lanceolate, and measure 2–4 mm to 40 mm long. Flowers are borne on a slender, wiry stem 5–50 cm long, appearing solitary, paired, or in whorls of three or four. The corolla is 12–22 mm long, featuring a small upper petal and a broader, semicircular lower lip 1–2 cm wide with white or yellow markings.
Distribution & habitat
Native to New Caledonia, New Zealand, and Australia. In New Zealand, it occurs on the North and South Islands, including Stewart Island/Rakiura. In Australia, it is found in all states, with the majority of occurrences in New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania.
History & etymology
The species was formally described in 1805 by Jacques Labillardière. The specific epithet, dichotoma, is Latin for "dividing into pairs," referring to the double arrangement of flowers often displayed by the plant.
Habitat
- Altitude
- 0–1,200 m
- Altitude Class
- intermediate
- Native To
- Australia
Cultivation
- Difficulty
- intermediate
- Temperature
- Day 18–26°C / Night 10–18°C
- Humidity
- 55–80%
- Notes
- Showy purple paired flowers. Eastern Australia wetlands.
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