SMALL WHEEL BLADDERWORT 



Scientific name: Uthcukiria radiata. 



Identifying features: Most of plant is submerged in water. Long underwater 

 stems are about 1/4 inch wide and bear alternating masses of bladder-covered 

 branches. Bladders are about 1/10 inch long. Flower stalks are supported by a 

 floating wheel up to 4 inches across with 4 to 7 (often 6) spongy, inflated spokes; 

 spokes narrow near the flower stalk, and narrow to a point and are slightly brushy 

 at the tips. Flowers are yellow, about 1/2 inch across, usually 3 to 4 per flower 

 stalk. 



Flowering period: March to early May. 



Distribution: Southeastern Canada to southern Florida, west to Texas and at 

 scattered sites farther inland. 



Habitat: Sinkhole ponds, cypress ponds, roadside ditches, beaver ponds, borrow 

 pits, oxbow lakes. 



Distribution in forest: Throughout. 

 Abundance in forest: Occasional. 



Other information: This plant and the large wheel bladderwort are sometimes 

 confused. The easiest way to tell them apart is to count flowers per stalk, 3 or 4 in 

 this plant and almost always about 10 in the large wheel bladderwort. 



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