Here is a comparison between two mature bladderworts that have similar structures and habitat. The diminutive one on the left is the delicate native, Utricularia radiata, while the one on the right is not native to the Northeast - it's Utricularia inflata, the robust Swollen Bladderwort.
Since finding the invasive Swollen Bladderwort on Lake Arrowhead in 2021, this is the first occasion on which I've seen both species in flower at the same time (it's the very end of U. radiata's bloom time, and the beginning of U. inflata's.)
As you can see by having the scale in the photo, the radial floats of the native are only 2-3 inches across the diameter, while the non-native boasts a diameter of almost 8 inches. The radial floats (specialized leaves) are much more fleshy and sturdy on the newcomer, and they are also tapered (pinched) towards the central flower stalk.
Quite a difference!
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