Aurum in Latin means gold, and aureus, golden. As its scientific name Utricularia aurea, and its common name Golden Floating Bladderwort  implies, this is a species with golden-yellow flowers. Utricularia aurea is one of the three species of floating Utricularia in Peninsular Malaysia, and by far the most common. It occupies a variety of habitats in the Peninsula, from natural river backwaters, swamps and lakes like Tasek Bera, to manmade open waters such as canals, ditches, ponds and rice fields. However, in rice fields with intensive fertilizer/herbicide applications and old mining ponds with eutrophic conditions, this native carnivorous plant could not survive. So the sighting of this plant usually indicates fairly acceptable water quality.

The other species of Utricularia are usually minute and inconspicuous, but Utricularia aurea has a large floating leaf mass and even when not flowering or fruiting, is easily recognised. The inflorescence is erect or with a kinked base in order to stay emerged among the floating leaf mass or other floating vegetation covering the water surface. Each trailing leaf mass can be more than 1 m long, and may bear one to two inflorescences at its many internodes. Three partially inflated floats usually grow from the base of peduncle to aid the inflorescence in remaining above water and not submerged by the weight of leaf mass.

Prepared by Chew, M.Y. Posted on 27th February 2013. The weakly weather was 24º-33º C. Pictures by Chew, M.Y.