Taxon: Aldrovanda vesiculosa L.

Summary

Genus:

Aldrovanda

Family:

Droseraceae

Nomen number:

2179

Place of publication:

Sp. pl. 1:281. 1753

Protologue link:

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/358300#page/293/mode/1up

Typification:

View in Linnean Typification Project

Verified:

04/22/2015 ARS Systematic Botanists.

Accessions:

1 (0 active, 0 available) in National Plant Germplasm System. (Map it)

Other conspecific taxa

Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations

Images (1 total. Click on image for more.)

Conservation Status

Reference(s)

University of Georgia Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health
Adamec, L. 2018. Biological flora of Central Europe: Aldrovanda vesiculosa L. Perspect. Pl. Ecol. Evol. Syst. 35:8-21.
Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
APHIS. Agricultural Risk Management System United States Department of Agriculture.
Cross, A. T. et al. 2016. Seed reproductive biology of the rare aquatic carnivorous plant Aldrovanda vesiculosa (Droseraceae). Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 180:515-529.
Cross, A. 2012. Aldrovanda, the waterwheel plant
Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
2018. Mid-Atlantic invasive plant species (on-line resource)

Common names

Language	Name	seq	Citation
English	waterwheel	1	Adamec, L. 2018. Biological flora of Central Europe: Aldrovanda vesiculosa L. Perspect. Pl. Ecol. Evol. Syst. 35:8-21.
French	à vessies	2	Adamec, L. 2018. Biological flora of Central Europe: Aldrovanda vesiculosa L. Perspect. Pl. Ecol. Evol. Syst. 35:8-21.
French	aldrovandie	2	Adamec, L. 2018. Biological flora of Central Europe: Aldrovanda vesiculosa L. Perspect. Pl. Ecol. Evol. Syst. 35:8-21.
German	Wasserfalle	2	Adamec, L. 2018. Biological flora of Central Europe: Aldrovanda vesiculosa L. Perspect. Pl. Ecol. Evol. Syst. 35:8-21.
Swedish	vattenfälla	2	Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)

Distribution

order_code	Status	Continent	Subcontinent	Country	State	Note	Reference
1	Native	Africa	East Tropical Africa	Tanzania			Cross, A. 2012. Aldrovanda, the waterwheel plant
1	Native	Africa	East Tropical Africa	Uganda			Cross, A. 2012. Aldrovanda, the waterwheel plant
1	Native	Africa	Northeast Tropical Africa	Chad			Cross, A. 2012. Aldrovanda, the waterwheel plant
1	Native	Africa	Northeast Tropical Africa	Sudan			Cross, A. 2012. Aldrovanda, the waterwheel plant
1	Native	Africa	South Tropical Africa	Malawi			Cross, A. 2012. Aldrovanda, the waterwheel plant
1	Native	Africa	South Tropical Africa	Mozambique			Cross, A. 2012. Aldrovanda, the waterwheel plant
1	Native	Africa	South Tropical Africa	Zambia			Cross, A. 2012. Aldrovanda, the waterwheel plant
1	Native	Africa	Southern Africa	Botswana			Cross, A. 2012. Aldrovanda, the waterwheel plant
1	Native	Africa	Southern Africa	South Africa			Cross, A. 2012. Aldrovanda, the waterwheel plant
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Ghana			Cross, A. 2012. Aldrovanda, the waterwheel plant
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Togo			Cross, A. 2012. Aldrovanda, the waterwheel plant
1	Native	Africa	West-Central Tropical Africa	Burundi			Cross, A. 2012. Aldrovanda, the waterwheel plant
1	Native	Africa	West-Central Tropical Africa	Cameroon			Cross, A. 2012. Aldrovanda, the waterwheel plant
1	Native	Africa	West-Central Tropical Africa	Rwanda			Cross, A. 2012. Aldrovanda, the waterwheel plant
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Heilongjiang Sheng		Cross, A. 2012. Aldrovanda, the waterwheel plant
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Nei Mongol Zizhiqu		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Eastern Asia	Japan		restored in two sites	Adamec, L. 2018. Biological flora of Central Europe: Aldrovanda vesiculosa L. Perspect. Pl. Ecol. Evol. Syst. 35:8-21.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Eastern Asia	Korea			Cross, A. 2012. Aldrovanda, the waterwheel plant
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Middle Asia	Kazakhstan			Cross, A. 2012. Aldrovanda, the waterwheel plant
1	Native	Europe	Eastern Europe	Belarus			Cross, A. 2012. Aldrovanda, the waterwheel plant
1	Native	Europe	Eastern Europe	Lithuania			Cross, A. 2012. Aldrovanda, the waterwheel plant
1	Native	Europe	Eastern Europe	Russian Federation-European part	European part		Cross, A. 2012. Aldrovanda, the waterwheel plant
1	Native	Europe	Eastern Europe	Ukraine			Cross, A. 2012. Aldrovanda, the waterwheel plant
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Hungary			Cross, A. 2012. Aldrovanda, the waterwheel plant
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Poland			Cross, A. 2012. Aldrovanda, the waterwheel plant
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Bulgaria			Cross, A. 2012. Aldrovanda, the waterwheel plant
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Greece			Cross, A. 2012. Aldrovanda, the waterwheel plant
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Montenegro		?	Cross, A. 2012. Aldrovanda, the waterwheel plant
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Romania			Cross, A. 2012. Aldrovanda, the waterwheel plant
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Serbia			Cross, A. 2012. Aldrovanda, the waterwheel plant
4	Naturalized	Australasia	Australia	Australia			Cross, A. 2012. Aldrovanda, the waterwheel plant
4	Naturalized	Europe	Middle Europe	Germany			Adamec, L. 2018. Biological flora of Central Europe: Aldrovanda vesiculosa L. Perspect. Pl. Ecol. Evol. Syst. 35:8-21.
4	Naturalized	Europe	Middle Europe	Netherlands			Adamec, L. 2018. Biological flora of Central Europe: Aldrovanda vesiculosa L. Perspect. Pl. Ecol. Evol. Syst. 35:8-21.
4	Naturalized	Europe	Middle Europe	Switzerland			Adamec, L. 2018. Biological flora of Central Europe: Aldrovanda vesiculosa L. Perspect. Pl. Ecol. Evol. Syst. 35:8-21.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	New Jersey	introduced in 1999, one site survives	Adamec, L. 2018. Biological flora of Central Europe: Aldrovanda vesiculosa L. Perspect. Pl. Ecol. Evol. Syst. 35:8-21.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	New York	introduced in Big Pond	Adamec, L. 2018. Biological flora of Central Europe: Aldrovanda vesiculosa L. Perspect. Pl. Ecol. Evol. Syst. 35:8-21.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Virginia	introduction in seven sites	Adamec, L. 2018. Biological flora of Central Europe: Aldrovanda vesiculosa L. Perspect. Pl. Ecol. Evol. Syst. 35:8-21.
6	Other					exact native range obscure, transported by waterfowl	Cross, A. 2012. Aldrovanda, the waterwheel plant

Native
Africa

NORTHEAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Sudan, Chad
EAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Tanzania, Uganda
WEST-CENTRAL TROPICAL AFRICA: Burundi, Cameroon, Rwanda
WEST TROPICAL AFRICA: Ghana, Togo
SOUTH TROPICAL AFRICA: Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia
SOUTHERN AFRICA: Botswana, South Africa

Asia-Temperate

MIDDLE ASIA: Kazakhstan
CHINA: China [Heilongjiang Sheng, Nei Mongol Zizhiqu]
EASTERN ASIA: Korea, Japan (restored in two sites)

Europe

MIDDLE EUROPE: Hungary, Poland
EASTERN EUROPE: Russian Federation-European part [European part], Belarus, Lithuania, Ukraine
SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE: Bulgaria, Greece, Montenegro (?), Romania, Serbia

Naturalized
Australasia

AUSTRALIA: Australia

Europe

MIDDLE EUROPE: Switzerland, Germany, Netherlands

Northern America

NORTHEASTERN U.S.A.: United States [New Jersey (introduced in 1999, one site survives), New York (introduced in Big Pond)]
SOUTHEASTERN U.S.A.: United States [Virginia (introduction in seven sites)]

Other (exact native range obscure, transported by waterfowl)

Reference(s)

Adamec, L. 2018. Biological flora of Central Europe: Aldrovanda vesiculosa L. Perspect. Pl. Ecol. Evol. Syst. 35:8-21.
Cross, A. 2012. Aldrovanda, the waterwheel plant
Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).

Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=2179. Accessed 12 May 2026.