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Plant Database

Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

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Pinguicula pumila (Small butterwort)
Cressler, Alan

Pinguicula pumila

Pinguicula pumila Michx.

Small Butterwort, Bog Violet, Dwarf Butterwort

Lentibulariaceae (Bladderwort Family)

Synonym(s): Pinguicula pumila var. buswellii

USDA Symbol: PIPU4

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

Small Butterwort grows 6-8 inches tall above a basal rosette of broad, succulent leaves. The few leaves form a rosette at the base of the plant and have a sticky surface that captures small insects. The margin of the leaf rolls inward over the insect until it is digested. Atop each flower stem is 1 flower, whitish, bluish or pale violet, about 3/4 inch across, funnel-shaped, somewhat 2-lipped, with 5 petal-like lobes and a spur at the base, like a larkspur.

All Pinguicula spp. bear short glandular hairs, and clammy leaves designed to trap small insects.

 

From the Image Gallery

16 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Annual
Habit: Herb
Fruit Type: Capsule
Size Notes: Up to about 8 inches tall.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White , Blue , Violet
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr , May , Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep , Oct , Nov

Distribution

USA: AL , FL , GA , LA , MS , NC , OK , SC , TX
Native Distribution: Coastal plain from s.e. NC to s.e. TX
Native Habitat: Moist, sandy pinelands and savannas

Growing Conditions

Light Requirement: Sun
Soil Moisture: Moist
Soil Description: Moist, acid, poor nutritive soils.
Conditions Comments: Prefers moist, damp areas.

Benefit

Interesting Foliage: yes

Propagation

Description: Sow butterwort seeds as soon as mature on damp, long-fiber sphagnum. Keep moist is partial sunlight for germination in 90 days.
Commercially Avail: yes

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:AGCPAKAWCBEMPGPHIMWNCNEWMVE
Status: OBL OBL OBL
This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

Bibliography

Bibref 248 - Texas Wildflowers: A Field Guide (1984) Loughmiller, C. & L. Loughmiller

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Web Reference

Webref 57 - Atlas of Florida Plants (2020) Institute for Systematic Botany
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

From the Archive

Wildflower Newsletter 1996 VOL. 13, NO.2 - Annual Wildflower Days Festival, Wildflower Center Hotline, The Visitor Experien...

Additional resources

USDA: Find Pinguicula pumila in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Pinguicula pumila in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Pinguicula pumila

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-02-23
Research By: TWC Staff

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