Utricularia section Tridentaria
Species	Range	Habit1
U. westonii	w Australia	T
1T=terrestrial.

Q: About Utricularia subgenus Polypompholyx section Tridentaria

A: This Utricularia section consists solely of little U. westonii. This species looks very much like U. multifida and U. tenella; indeed the diagnostic characters used to separate it from them are based upon the details of the bladders. For example, the bladders of U. westonii are held on narrow stalks, while those of the other species get thicker near the bladder. There are other details involving bladder appendages, hairs, etc.

There are no differences between my treatment of this section, and the treatment by Ellison & Adamec (2018).


U. westonii There are also some difference in the coloration and structure of the flowers, especially on the lower corolla lip.

This plant grows in very wet water, or shallow pools. It is apparently only found in the Cape Le Grande National Park, near Esperance. Whenever I hear of species with limited ranges, I start getting uncomfortable for the plant's conservation status. Let us hope its sites are stewarded well.

I have tried growing this species a few times, as you can see from the photograph of seedlings on this page. While the seed germinated readily, I was unable to grow it past the seedling stage. I do not know why. It was very frustrating to watch the plants wink out of existence, one by one.

Page citations: Rice, B.A. 2006a; Taylor, P. 1989; personal observations.