This document summarizes a phylogenetic analysis of the carnivorous plant genus Utricularia, which contains around 233 species. It discusses the growth habits of different Utricularia species as either terrestrial or aquatic. The analysis sequenced two chloroplast genes, matK and trnK, to resolve species relationships within the genus. It characterized the genus into three subgenera based on earlier studies.

1. Utricularia
The Bladderwort –
A Colorful
Carnivorous Plant
A Phylogenetic Analysis of the
Genus
by Ben Merritt

2. U. paulineae (A. Fleischmann)
U. inthanonensis (A. Fleischmann)
U. alpina
U. longifolia
U. fulva
U. gibba
U. campbelliana (Matthias)
Around 233 Species

3. Utricularia – from Latin
“utriculus”
cfb.unh.edu
the5ringcircus.com

4. Easily
Cultivated

5. Growth Habits
Terrestrial
A. Fleischmann
F. Rivadavia
R. Wendt
RL7836-terraforums.com

6. G.
Mittelhauser
D. Cameron
Aquatic

7. Taylor’s Monograph of
Utricularia (1989)
Characterized 2 Subgenera
1. Polypompholyx
2. Utricularia This Study
Introduced 3rd
from Earlier
Studies
1. Bivalvaria
(7/12 sec)
2. Polypompholyx
(2/3)
3. Utricularia
(5/19)

8. -Sequenced using matK
and trnK (maturase in
chloroplast and non-
coding sequence,
respectively)
-matK has a very high
variability across plant
species and therefore is
good for resolving species
when performing phylogenetic
analyses

12. musekautas.lt
omnisterra.com
U. humboldtii in
Bromeliad Tanks

13. U. nelumbifolia (araflora.com)
U. reniformis
U. alpina
U. Longifolia (mooseyscountrygarden.com)