This plant is one of a number plants on this site that are Carnivorous.( see table above and links to your left )  The plant ( Aldrovanda vesiculosa ) is one of two Carnivorous plants that grow in water, the other being some Utricularia ( bladderwort's).  All Carnivorous plants have found a way to get there minerals from prey there trap due to the need to do so, as the soil or water is very low in minerals or has the wrong minerals the plants needs to grow. All these plant still use Photosynthesis by having chlorophyll in there cells, just like all other plants. 

    Now the plant Aldrovanda vesiculosa is found in Africa, Australia, Europe, Japan and India. But it's now become extinct in the wilds of Japan. In Europe the plant is dying out due to high pollution. The plant grows in water floating just below the water surface, like normal water weeds it grows amongst other water plants e.g. reeds. This plant has no roots unlike most other water plants. In places were Winters are cold the plant goes dormant, by forming a tightly rolled bud. Which some Utricularia ( bladderworts) do the same.

     In warm places Aldrovanda grows all year round. Never allow the plant to freeze solid. The plant grows to about six inches ( 15 cm ) long as one end grows the other dies. The plant has traps that look like Venus fly trap ( Dionaea muscipula )( VFT ).These trap move the same way too. There are about six to nine traps in a whorl around the stem, which grow at the end of a type of leaf which also has bristles. These pointy bristles may be there to help to prevent the traps being damaged as the plant floats around other plants?

    The plant has a flower in the summer time which is white in colour, this grows above the water level. As said before the trap has a look of the Venus fly trap ( VFT ) but the trap is only about 10th of inch across and is a translucent green in colour and looks bit like a clamshell. Each side of the trap is lined with with a big number of teeth. Inside the trap there are digestive glands. Unlike all other Carnivorous plants it has not been found what lures the prey to the trap. In other Carnivorous plants its colour, smell, taste and others.

   The trap closes like the VFT with the teeth interlocking to stop the prey from getting out before the trap is fully closed. As the plant is under water the plant has a secretion which makes the trap water proof. this is done after it as forced the water out of the trap by squeezing the two lopes together. The plant is not that easy to grow in cultivation on a long term, but I have read that some botanists are getting good results now. When growing these plants you should keep the water free of Algae and have no tadpoles as both are enemies of the plant. It is helpful to keep water fleas in the water with the plant, to feed it.

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