One species, Utricularia striatula, is an exception and is widespread in much of the Old World tropics.

Wilhelm Sulpiz Kurz originally described and published this section as Utricularia subg.

Franciszek Kamieński reviewed the genus in 1891 and reduced Kunz's subgenus to a section.

Later botanists, including Peter Taylor, agreed with Kamieński's assessment.

[1] Later molecular data resulted in the revision of Taylor's treatment, reinstating subgenus Bivalvaria and placing this section within it.