Utricularia gibba is one of New Zealand's three aquatic bladderworts. Plants have very fine stolons that grow very fast and over time may form extensive mats covering many tens of metres. The leaves are also very fine and divided only once or twice. Only one trap, to 1.5mm long is usually produced per leaf couplet. They grow pretty much continuously throughout the year and flower from late spring to late autumn. During this period plant mats will send up hundreds of scapes 6-15cm high each bearing up to 8 yellow flowers 10mm across. This species was first recorded in New Zealand in the mid 1970s and another form has also been discovered as recently as the late 1990s.
Habitat -
Lake margins, drainage ditches, large and small pools, sand dune lakes, growing in shallow water.
Distribution -
Northern half of the North Island at low altitude in western coastal wetlands. Also occurs in many countries worldwide and is a common weed of aquaria and botanic gardens.
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