I made an horrific discovery in 2021, whilst doing a late season survey for the insidiously invasive Najas minor, which I had discovered in our lake the previous year. I’d been focusing on areas that were too shallow and ‘productive’ for our DASH boat to reach, and stumbled upon this flower which had collapsed on the water’s surface.
I was very suspicious of its appearance - it’s certainly a unique looking plant, similar to Utricularia radiata, but this one was, well, grotesque and very robust, by comparison - the 'floats' holding the flower up out of the water were fat and bloated and had numerous tentacles on them. It was almost the stuff of sci-fi imaginings, not delicate enough for Utricularia radiata but yet similar. Alarm bells started tinkling, and then clanging, in my head. I took a series of photos without disturbing the plant, then went home to consult with others, and peruse my aquatic plant books to help me sort through my suspicions.
Everything I read filled me with dread, for it seemed I had found a plant not previously documented in Maine’ - an invasive bladderwort for this region. While I was thrilled that I had found something potentially exciting, a new discovery, I had mixed emotions about finding yet another invasive plant on my lake. It was also strangely gratifying to feel confident about identifying a plant I’d never seen before, especially one that was out of its documented geographical range. Keith Williams came over and we visited the site where I found the specimen.
He excitedly confirmed that this was indeed U. inflata.
It's obviously satisfying to know I have the skills, but it's also devastating to have to etch another invasive aquatic plant onto my list of ‘notorious accomplishments.’ We now face having to deal with THREE invasive plants in Lake Arrowhead.
I set out to survey further afield, 'thinking like a bladderwort,' as much as possible, to hone in on areas where it might find a foothold. After scouring many shallow, stagnant coves in magnificent fall light (and winds!). I found a smattering of more flowering plants, which drew visits from numerous experts, all of whom were interested in seeing this species. In early November, I found a thriving population in a beautiful stump-filled wetland area. Roberta Hill and Drew Perlmutter of LSM came to confirm and commiserate with me.
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| Photo by Dale Schultz |
The realization hit, after picking up specimen after specimen, that much of the non-blooming, floating bladderwort foliage in that portion of the lake was in fact U. inflata too, and not U. vulgaris as I had assumed all along! Being able to mentally and physically associate the exquisite branching and randomly arranged bladders with the flower and its vulgar floats, was the crowning point in my journey of discovery. Nothing beats field work and real-life experience! The foliage began to jump out at me now as something vastly different; there’s no mixing it up with U. vulgaris. I had to go back and re-check all the places where no blooms were found previously, since I could now identify it by foliage alone.
My re-checks were devastating. I found U. inflata in every part of our lake. Its presence here has clearly been overlooked for years. The density and well-established nature of the infestation is disheartening and sad. I've struggled to process my feelings about it, and have had to deal with horrific nightmares, starring carnivorous bladderworts. I’ve had to wrestle with a deep sense of disappointment that my lake is not what I’d hoped it would be. But yet, it is still the same lake I know and love, and that isn’t about to change.
I’m all for giving credit where credit is due, and this invasive checks all the boxes for a very successful, well-adapted species. Just look at this beautiful, successful plant!
Perhaps this plant has eluded discovery till now because very few people go surveying in October, when the gorgeous yellow flowers stand high above the conspicuous, tentacled floats. I was fortunate to have been in the right place at the right time.
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| A developing float and flower in October, 2022 |