Pinguicula macroceras

Pinguicula macroceras, the California butterwort or horned butterwort, is a species of perennial carnivorous herb that is native to the North American Pacific coast, as well as other select distributions in Canada, Russia, Japan, and the U. S. . Common names include California butterwort, horned butterwort and butterwort. Pinguicula macroceras belongs to the Pinguicula genus and the Lentibulariaceae family. In North America P. macroseras is found within 750 km of the Pacific coast in California, Oregon, Washington, and into Canada. Other populations of P. macroceras are known to exist in Russia and Japan. Disputes over the classification of P. macroceras as a species rather than a sub-species of P. vulgaris along with the difficulties of distinguishing the two species from each other have made defining the distribution of P. macroceras difficult in areas where the species are sympatric. Ecology. Pinguicula macroceras is a carnivorous perennial herb growing less than 20 cm tall. With simple fleshy leaves (green-dark brown) that form a basal rosette, that are often recognized as slimy or sticky, and occasionally incurving over trapped prey. The leaves are adaxially glandular with stalked glands for capturing small organisms and sessil glands for the digestion of their prey. A single rosette can have 1-5 inflorescences held up by individual stems, which are composed of a single purple-blue flower (rarely observed with 2) that lack bracts. The calyx upper lip of the flower is 3-lobed, while the lower lip is 2-lobed with the center colored white. The corolla measures 13-21 mm with a lip that is often found to be hairy and generally does not block the throat of the flower. The flowers form a distinct horn on the top, hence the common name horned butterwort. Habitat. Pinguicula macroceras are found growing in moist habitats and often in serpentine conditions. Moist slopes and serpentine banks along creeks and rivers, at an altitude less than 1800 m are places where they are likely to be located. Serpentine cliff sides (most often north facing) with fast flowing seeps have also been documented habitat of the Pinguicula macroceras.