Herbs, perennial or annual, carnivorous, terrestrial, epiphytic, or aquatic. Roots present or absent. Stems often (Utricularia) modified into rhizoids, stolons, or rhizomes, rarely developed. Traps (bladders) on rhizoids, stolons, or leaves present in Utricularia but absent in Pinguicula. Stipules absent. Leaves alternate or in a basal rosette, simple or variously divided. Inflorescences usually racemes or reduced to a solitary flower; peduncle erect to twining. Flowers ± zygomorphic. Calyx 2-5-lobed or -parted; lobes imbricate, persistent. Corolla gamopetalous, tube short, limb 2-lipped or equally 5-lobed; lower lip entire or 2- or 3(-6)-lobed, lobes imbricate; upper lip entire or 2- or 3-lobed; spur subulate, cylindric, conic, or saccate. Stamens 2, inserted at base of corolla tube, included; filaments linear, short, curved or straight; anthers dorsifixed, ellipsoid; thecae 2, divaricate, confluent or (in Utricularia) sometimes distinct and ± separated by a connective; staminodes absent. Disk absent. Carpels 2, connate; ovary superior, 1-locular; placenta free-central or basal; ovules 2 to numerous, anatropous, somewhat sunken into placenta; style 1 or absent; stigma 2-lipped, upper lip reduced or obsolete. Fruit usually a capsule, loculicidal, circumscissile, or rarely indehiscent. Seeds few, numerous, or rarely 1 per capsule, minute, without endosperm.
Fls perfect, hypogynous, sympetalous; cal variously lobed or divided, often bilabiate; cor evidently bilabiate, the lower lip in ours prolonged into a basal spur; stamens 2, inserted on the cor-tube near its base, with ± confluent pollen-sacs; ovary superior, bicarpellate, unilocular; style wanting or very short; ovules (2–) numerous and somewhat sunken into the free-central (or basal) placenta; fr mostly capsular; seeds small, without endosperm, the embryo undifferentiated or nearly so; herbs, mostly insectivorous, aquatic or of wet places. 5/200.
Seeds without endosperm, sometimes winged
Fruit a capsule, usually globose opening by valves or pores, circumscissile or indehiscent
Corolla 2-lipped, spurred or saccate
Stamens 2, attached at the base of the corolla, filaments often winged; anthers 2-celled, dorsifixed, the cells sometimes confluent
Leaves entire or much divided, often bearing traps
Inflorescence racemose, bracteate, those of some aquatic species supported on the water by a whorl of modified spongy leaves (floats)
Annual or perennial herbs, terrestrial, epiphytic or aquatic, with much modified parts for the capture of small organisms
Ovary superior; style usually very short, persistent; stigma unequally 2-lipped
Ovules 2—numerous on a free central placenta
Herbaceous terrestrial, epiphytic or aquatic plants all with specialized organs for the capture of small organisms
Leaves rosulate or scattered on stolons, entire or divided, sometimes polymorphic
Seeds small or very small, very variously shaped; testa thin or spongy or corky, rarely mucilaginous; embryo undifferentiated
Ovary superior, unilocular; carpels 2, median; style simple, usually short or very short, rarely longer and geniculate; stigma more or less bilabiate, the superior lip usually smaller than the inferior or more or less obsolete; placenta free, basal, usually ovoid or globose; ovules usually numerous, sessile, rarely fewer or 2, anatropous
Fruit a unilocular capsule, 1-many-seeded, dehiscing by longitudinal slits or by pores or circumscissile or rarely indehiscent
Corolla gamopetalous, bilabiate usually spurred, rarely saccate, usually violet or yellow; tube very short; superior lip interior, more or less entire or 2 or rarely more lobed; inferior lip entire or 2–5-lobed, usually with a raised more or less gibbous palate
Stamens 2, anticous, inserted at the base of the corolla; filaments usually short, usually curved, rarely longer and geniculate; anthers 2-thecous; thecae diverging, usually more or less confluent, dehiscing by a common slit
Calyx deeply 2–4 or 5-partite, almost regular or more or less bilobed or the sepals free to the base, persistent and often accrescent
Inflorescence terminal or lateral, peduncled, racemose, bracteate, or solitary, scapose; lowest bracts (scales) usually barren; bracteoles 2 or absent or more or less connate with the bract, usually at the base of the pedicels
Corolla gamopetalous, 2-lipped, usually spurred, rarely saccate, usually violet or yellow; tube very short; upper lip interior, entire or ± 2- or rarely more lobed; lower lip entire or 2–5-lobed, usually with a raised ± gibbous palate
Stamens 2, anticous, inserted at the base of the corolla; filaments usually short, usually curved, rarely longer and geniculate; anthers 2-thecous; thecae diverging, ± confluent, dehiscing by a common slit
Flowers hermaphrodite, zygomorphic
Calyx deeply 2–4- or 5-partite, almost regular or ± 2-lobed or the sepals free to the base, persistent and often accrescent
Leaves rosulate or scattered on stolons, entire or divided, sometimes polymorphic
Inflorescence terminal or lateral, peduncled, racemose, simple or sparingly branched, bracteate; lowest bracts (scales) usually barren; bracteoles 2 or 0 or ± connate with the bract, usually at the base of the pedicels
Herbaceous terrestrial, epiphytic or aquatic plants all with specialized organs for the capture of small organisms
Ovary superior, 1-locular; carpels 2, median; style simple, usually short or very short, rarely longer and geniculate; stigma ± 2-lipped, the upper lip smaller than the lower or ± obsolete; placenta free central or free basal, usually ovoid or globose; ovules usually numerous, sessile, rarely fewer or 2, anatropous
Fruit a 1-celled capsule, 2–many-seeded, dehiscing by longitudinal slits or by pores or circumscissile or rarely indehiscent
Seeds small or very small, very variously shaped; testa thin or spongy or corky, rarely mucilaginous; endosperm 0; embryo undifferentiated
Herbes'terrestres, épiphytes ou aquatiques, pourvues d'organes spécialisés pour la capture de petits organismes; racines souvent absentes.'Feuilles'rapprochées en rosette ou espacées sur des stolons, entières à divisées, souvent polymorphes.'Inflorescences'terminales ou latérales, pédonculées, racémeuses, simples à peu ramifiées; bractées présentes, les inférieures souvent stériles (= écailles); bractéoles 2 ou 0, libres ou ± unies à la bractée, généralement situées à la base des pédicelles.'Fleurs'♀ , zygomorphes; calice profondément 2-, 4- ou 5-partite, actinomorphe ou ± bilabié, ou à sépales libres jusqu'à la base, persistant et souvent accrescent; corolle gamopétale, bilabiée, ordinairement pourvue d'un éperon, rarement d'un sac, le plus souvent violette ou jaune; tube très court; lèvre supérieure recouverte dans le bouton, entière, bi- ou rarement plurilobée; lèvre inférieure entière ou 2-5-lobée, ordinairement à palais saillant et ± bossu; étamines 2, antérieures, insérées à la base de la corolle, à filets ordinairement courts et courbes, rarement assez longs et genouillés; anthères à 2 thèques divergentes, ± confluentes, déhiscentes par une fente commune; ovaire supère, 1-loculaire, à 2 carpelles médians; placenta libre, central ou basilaire, ordinairement ovoïde ou subsphérique; ovules ordinairement nombreux, rarement peu nombreux à 2, sessiles, anatropes; style simple, ordinairement court ou très court, rarement long et genouillé; stigmate ± bilabié, à lèvre supérieure plus petite que l'inférieure ou ± indistincte.'Capsules'1-loculaires, à 2-∞ graines, déhiscentes par fentes longitudinales ou par pores, ou circumscissiles, rarement fruits indéhiscents.'Graines petites ou très petites, de formes très variées; testa mince ou spongieux ou subéreux, rarement mucilagineux; albumen nul; embryon non différencié.\n\t\t\tFamille comprenant 4 genres et environ 200 espèces, habitant pour la plupart dans les régions intertropicales et dans la zone tempérée nord. Pour la Flore : 2 genres, 29 espèces, 3 sous-espèces et 1 variété.
