NYMPHAEA
Nymphaea
L, Sp. Pl. 1: 510. 1753, Gen. Pl. ed. V. 579. 1754; Hook. f. & Thoms. in Hook. f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 1: 114. 1872; Fl. Pak. @ eFloras. org p.2; Fl. China @ eFloras. org. 6: 116.
Perennial herbs, rhizomatous. Leaves with lamina floating on surface of water on long petiole; leaf blade ovate to orbicular, base cordate to sagittate, margin entire to toothed, slightly peltate; Leaf blade venation primarily palmate. Flowers large, actinomorphic, bisexual, showy, floating or held above water surface borne on long pedicel; pedicels and petioles traversed by air cavities. Perianth many, spreading at anthesis. Sepals 4, greenish, adnate to the base of receptacle, sometimes indistinguishable from petals. Petals 8 to many, free, gradually transforming into stamens. Stamens shorter than sepals and petals, inserted on surface of ovary; filaments linear to ovate or obovate; anthers linear and introrse with or without appendage on connective. Carpels many, partially or completely fused; style absent, stigmas many, fused into a cup-shaped disc, stigmatic disc with prominent, distinct, upwardly incurved appendages around margin. Fruit a spongy berry-like, usually ripening under water.
65 species
Nymphaea alba
Nymphaea alba
L., Sp. Pl. 1: 510. 1753; Fl. China @ eFloras. org 6:117; Fl. Pak. @ eFloras. org p. 6.
Perennial with horizontal rhizome; rhizome rooted in mud at the base of water body. Leaves long-petioled; leaf bledes floating on surface of water, suborbicular, base deeply cordate and basal lobes subparallel or spreading, margin entire, papery, 10-30 cm in diameter. Flowers floating or held above water, 10-20 cm in diameter, +/- scented, solitary, axillary, actinomorphic, bisexual, white or pale yellow. Petioles and pedicels with air chambers. Sepals 4, oblong-lanceolate, white-yellowish green, obscurely veined. Petals many, in many series, white or pale-yellow, oblong or ovate-oblong, inner petals gradually transforming into stamens. Petals and stamens inserted on surface of ovary. Stamens many, in up to 3 series, outer stamens laminar with broad white/yellowish petaloid filaments while filaments of inner stamens (near centre) +/- as wide as anthers, connective apically unappendaged, dehiscence longitudinal. Pistil 1, compound with many completely fused carpels, ovary subinferior, many-locular, loculi as many as number of carpels, placentation laminar, many ovules per loculus; stigmas many, fused into a cup-shaped disc, stigmatic disc with a small central projection and prominent, distinct, yellow, upwardly incurved 8-20 appendages around margin.
Fruit semiglobose, green. Seeds ellipsoid, smooth. (Fruits not observed)
Common Names: White Water Lily, European White Water Lily, White Nenuphar, Romanian Water Lily
