Aldrovanda Vesiculosa

Aldrovanda vesiculosa, commonly known as the waterwheel plant, is the sole extant species in the flowering plant genus Aldrovanda of the family Droseraceae. The plant captures small aquatic invertebrates using traps similar to those of the Venus Flytrap. The traps are arranged in whorls around a central, free-floating stem, giving rise to the common name. This plant is one of the few species capable of rapid movement.

While the genus Aldrovanda is monotypic, up to 19 extinct species are known to have existed. While the species displays a degree of morphological plasticity between populations, A. vesiculosa possesses a very low genetic diversity across its entire range.

A. vesiculosa has declined over the last century to only 50 confirmed extant populations worldwide. These remain spread across Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia.