leafy bladderwort, Utricularia foliosa

Leafy bladderworts lead us to a rather dense subject; turions. Those are buds that can develop into entire new plants. They enable survival in stressful conditions, most often freezing. They form at the ends of underground or underwater shoots. Turions are rich in starches and other nutrients. So what happens when the pond these bladderworts lives in freezes? The turions drop free and sink to the bottom. That's when density comes into play. The turions are heavier than water, and warm water is heavier than water near freezing temperatures. They both sink to the bottom together! And rise again in the spring when the growth and expansion of the turions makes them less dense. Of course, one other thing happens if the pond a leafy bladderwort lives in freezes. The snowbirds curse and huddle! Leafy bladderworts live in AL, FL, GA, LA, NC, and SC. Collier Co FL, 1/25/13. Butterwort family, Utriculariaceae.