Family: bladderworts (Lentibulariaceae)
Flowering time: June–September
Size: inflorescences 10–20 cm tall, stems up to 1 m long
Habitat: standing and slow-flowing waters, wetlands
Southern bladderwort (Utricularia australis) is a floating aquatic plant without roots. Its submerged leaves are divided into narrow lobes, on which trap bladders have developed. Aquatic invertebrates are trapped in them, which the bladderwort digests, thus obtaining nutrients that are lacking in its living environment. This rare species in Slovenia is usually observed only when it emerges from the water with inflorescences bearing 3 to 12 yellow flowers. The lower lip of the flower in this species is more or less straight, and the spur is 5 to 6 mm long.
With regard to habitat selection, it is very particular and is listed as an endangered species in the Slovenian Red List of Threatened Plants.
