Pinguicula vulgaris

Pinguicula vulgaris, the common butterwort, is a perennial carnivorous plant in the butterwort genus of the family Lentibulariaceae.

Description

It grows to a height of 3–16 centimetres (1.2–6.3 in), and is topped with a purple, and occasionally white, flower that is 15 millimetres (0.59 in) or longer, and shaped like a funnel. This butterwort grows in damp environments such as bogs and swamps, in low or subalpine elevations. Being native to environments with cold winters, they produce a winter-resting bud (hibernaculum). There are three forms originating from Europe: P. vulgaris f. bicolor, which has petals that are white and purple; P. vulgaris f. albida, which has all white petals; and P. vulgaris f. alpicola, which has larger flowers. The taxonomic status of these forms is not universally recognised – see e.g. The Plant List.

Common butterwort is an insectivorous plant. Its leaves have glands that excrete a sticky fluid that traps insects; the glands also produce enzymes that digest the insects. This serves as a way for the plant to access a source of nitrogen, as they generally grow in soil that is acidic and low in nutrients, such as bogs. Insect capture is an adaptation to nutrient-poor conditions, and the plant is highly dependent on insects for nitrogen.