Comparative shoot morphology between cultivated Utricularia bremii plants and those growing in natural habitats in the Czech Republic

In summer 2023, the morphometry of large adult plants of Utricularia bremii was studied in an outdoor culture and at three shallow pools in two oligotrophic sand-pits in South Bohemia, Czech Republic, with a focus on shoot length and biomass, shoot branching traits and ecological conditions. Overall, the mean length of main shoots was 34-43 cm (range 23-73 cm) and the shoots bore on average 11-18 branches of three orders. On main shoots, branches were initiated on average every 7.7-9.2 internodes, which indicates a very fast propagation and growth. A new branch is theoretically initiated every ca. 3.3-3.8 days. This study confirms that shallow, well-lit, oligomesotrophic, soft-water sand-pit pools may represent an ecological optimum for this species.