The primrose-flowered butterwort (Pinguicula primuliflora Wood & Godfrey) is native to wetlands in a narrow strip along the Gulf coastal plain of Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. Butterworts are carnivorous, catching small insects on the greasy surface of the leaves. The plants are generally found in semi-shady areas, often hidden down in grasses.

The butterwort blooms in early spring, April and May, each plant producing one or two flowers. The flowers have a unique way to prevent self-pollination. The anterior of the flower has a spur that serves as a nectary; small bees can enter the flower to feed on the sugary liquid. The stigma is lobed and the bee must climb over the stigma lobes to get to the nectary. The anterior lobe is long and covers the single anther which sits in front of the nectary.

When a bee enters the flower to feed, any pollen on the bee will be brushed off onto the long lobe of the stigma. After the bee finishes feeding and backs out of the flower, the long lobe flips forward, preventing the pollen it received when the bee entered from being brushed off. This also exposes the anther. The bee receives new pollen as it exits.

Butterworts, but especially the primrose-flowered is also unique in that it regularly produces young plantlets along the margins of the leaves.(See inset photograph lower left corner.)

Suggested Reading:

Carnivorous Plants of the United States and Canada
by Donald Schnell, second edition.
Schnell has written a wonderful book about the 45 species and numerous hybrids of carnivorous plants found in North America. The book is greatly expanded from the first edition.