Eastern Purple Bladderwort

''Utricularia purpurea'', the eastern purple bladderwort, is a medium-sized suspended aquatic carnivorous plant that belongs to the genus ''Utricularia''. ''U. purpurea'' is endemic to North and Central America. It has been suggested that ''U. purpurea'' may have partially lost its appetite for carnivory. Richards did an extensive study in the field on it and noted that trapping rates of the usual ''Utricularia'' prey were significantly lower than in other species in the genus. Richards concludes that this species can still trap and digest arthropod prey in its specialized bladder traps, but does so sparingly. Instead, it harbors a community of algae, zooplankton, and debris in the bladders that indicates ''U. purpurea'' favors a mutualistic interaction in place of a predator–prey relationship.