Ontario Wildflowers website

Horned Bladderwort
Utricularia cornuta

Horned Bladderwort (Utricularia cornuta) Family: Bladderwort Family (Lentibulariaceae)

Group: Bladderworts

Distinctive features: Small plants growing in bogs/fens. Rooted in mud. No visible leaves or roots. Bright yellow flower.

Similar species:
  •   Flat-leaved Bladderwort (Utricularia intermedia) - floating plant, bladders on a separate stalks.

  •   Common Bladderwort (Utricularia vulgaris) - floating plant, bladders scattered amongst roots.


Flowers: Summer;  Yellow;  Irregular flowers;  Yellow, on short stalks rising above the water. Summer.

Leaves: None;  None or very tiny.

Height: Up to 7 cm (3 in)

Stem: Short, holding flowers above the water. Tiny leaves visible along stem.

Habitat: Wet Areas;  Bogs and fens.

Books: Newcomb's Wildflower Guide: 16    Peterson's Field Guide to Wildflowers: 122    ROM Field Guide to Wildflowers of Ontario: 302   

Native/Non-native: Native

Notes: Please read the Bladderworts page.

Origin and Meaning of Names:
 Scientific Name: cornuta: horned


Photographs: 162 photographs available, of which 7 are featured on this page. SCROLL DOWN FOR PHOTOGRAPHS.

Range Map is at the bottom of the page

Horned Bladderwort (Utricularia cornuta) flowers

Horned Bladderwort lowers. Note the prominent horn hanging straight down. In Common Bladderwort (Utricularia vulgaris), this horn sticks out toward the front of the flower.

Horned Bladderwort (Utricularia cornuta) flower

Horned Bladderwort (Utricularia cornuta) flower

Closeup view of the yellow Horned Bladderwort flower.

Horned Bladderwort (Utricularia cornuta) flower

Another closeup view of the Horned Bladderwort flower.

Horned Bladderwort (Utricularia cornuta) flowers

There is usually one flower per stalk (plant), but often there are two, and sometimes even three.

Horned Bladderwort (Utricularia cornuta) flower

This is about all that is visible of this plant. The stalk rises straight up from the mud. There are no leaves or roots visible.

This bladderwort does not float like the Common Bladderwort (Utricularia vulgaris) and Flat-leaved Bladderwort (Utricularia intermedia).

Horned Bladderwort (Utricularia cornuta) plants

A group of Horned Bladderwort in a wet area.


Range map for Horned Bladderwort (Utricularia cornuta)

PLEASE NOTE: A coloured Province or State means this species occurs somewhere in that Province/State.
The entire Province/State is coloured, regardless of where in that Province/State it occurs.

(Range map provided courtesy of the USDA website and is displayed here in accordance with their Policies)