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Nymphaea

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Template:Short description Template:Automatic taxobox Template:About

Nymphaea (Template:IPAc-en) is a genus of hardy and tender aquatic plants in the family Nymphaeaceae. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution. Many species are cultivated as ornamental plants, and many cultivars have been bred. Some taxa occur as introduced species where they are not native,<ref name=fna>Template:Efloras</ref> and some are weeds.<ref name=jeps>Template:Jepson eFlora</ref> Plants of the genus are known commonly as water lilies,<ref name=fna/><ref name=itis>{{#if:18383 | {{#invoke:template wrapper|wrap|_template=cite web|_exclude=id,ID,taxon 

 | url = https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=18383
 | title = Nymphaea
 | publisher = Integrated Taxonomic Information System
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| Template:Citation error }}</ref> or waterlilies in the United Kingdom. The genus name is from the Greek νυμφαία, nymphaia and the Latin nymphaea, which means "water lily" and were inspired by the nymphs of Greek and Latin mythology.<ref name=fna/>

DescriptionEdit

File:Nymphaea leaf cross-section.jpg
A bright-field micrograph of a cross-section of a floating leaf of Nymphaea alba.
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File:Nymphaea cf. gardneriana Planch.jpg
Complete specimen of Nymphaea cf. gardneriana Planch. with several floating leaves, as well as submerged leaves with scale bar (50 cm) on a white background
File:Nymphaea nouchali var. caerulea (Savigny) Verdc. complete specimen.jpg
Complete specimen of Nymphaea nouchali var. caerulea (Savigny) Verdc. with scale bar (50 cm) on a white background
File:Rhizome of Nymphaea gigantea "Albert De Lestang".jpg
Rhizome of Nymphaea gigantea "Albert De Lestang" with scale bar (5 cm) against a grey background
File:Nymphaea alba sl72.jpg
Seeds of Nymphaea alba with scale bar (3 mm) against a grey background
File:Nymphaea alba sl71.jpg
Halved Nymphaea alba fruit with scale bar (20 mm) against a dark background
File:Nymphaea alba sl58.jpg
Longitudinal section of Nymphaea alba flower with scale bar (20 mm) against a dark background
S = sepals, P = petals, St = stamina, An = anthers, O = ovary, SD = stigma disc, CT = carpellary teeth
File:Nymphaea prolifera Wiersema proliferating pseudanthium.jpg
Proliferating pseudanthium or tubiferous flower of Nymphaea prolifera Wiersema
File:Nymphaea lotus var. thermalis (DC.) Tuzson leaf.jpg
Nymphaea lotus leaf with scale bar (5 cm)
Upper surface (left) and lower surface (right)

Vegetative characteristicsEdit

Water lilies are aquatic, rhizomatous or tuberous, perennial or annual herbs<ref name = "Florabase">Template:FloraBase</ref> with sometimes desiccation-tolerant,<ref name="Heslop-Harrison, 1955" /> branched or unbranched rhizomes,<ref name = "Flora of China"> Template:Efloras</ref><ref name=fna/> which can be stoloniferous, or lacking stolons.<ref name=fna/> The tuberous or fibrous roots are contractile.<ref name = "Flora e Funga do Brasil">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The leaves are mostly floating,<ref name=fna/><ref name = "Flora of China" /><ref name = "VicFlora">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> but submerged and emergent leaves occur as well.<ref name="Conard, 1905">Template:Cite book</ref> The shape of the lamina can be ovate, orbicular,<ref name = "VicFlora" /><ref name = "Flora of Pakistan">Template:Efloras</ref> elliptic,<ref name=fna/> hastate,<ref name = "Flora of Australia" /> or sagittate.<ref name="Trickett, 1971">Template:Cite journal</ref> The width of the lamina ranges in size from 2.5–3 cm<ref name="Fischer, 1988">Template:Cite journal</ref> to 40–60 cm.<ref name="Conard, 1905" /> The lamina has a deep sinus<ref name = "Flora of Australia" /><ref name="Conard, 1905" /><ref name = "VicFlora" /> and the basal lobes can be overlapping or divergent.<ref name=fna/> The margin of the lamina can be entire, dentate,<ref name = "Flora of China" /> or sinuate.<ref name = "Flora of Australia">Template:Cite book</ref> The leaves can be stipulate,<ref name="Conard, 1905" /><ref name = "Florabase" /> or exstipulate.<ref name = "Florabase" /> The petioles are a few centimetres to 5–6 m long, and 0.3–1.9 cm wide.<ref name="Conard, 1905" />

Generative characteristicsEdit

The flowers are emergent, floating,<ref name=fna/> or rarely submerged.<ref name="Landon et al., 2006">Template:Cite journal</ref> The diurnal or nocturnal,<ref name=fna/> chasmogamous or rarely cleistogamous,<ref name = "Flora e Funga do Brasil" /> solitary, hermaphrodite, entomophilous,<ref name = "Florabase" /> fragrant or inodorous flowers<ref name="Wiersema, 1988">Template:Cite journal</ref> are mostly protogynous.<ref name="Wiersema, 1988" /> The flowers have (3–)4(–5)<ref name = "Florabase" /> green, sometimes spotted sepals,<ref name = "Flora of Australia" /> and about 6–50<ref name = "Florabase" /> lanceolate to spathulate, differently coloured petals,<ref name = "Flora of Australia" /> which are often gradually transitioning into the shape of the stamens.<ref name = "Flora of Pakistan" /><ref name = "Flora of China" /><ref name=fna/> The gap between petals and stamens can be present or absent.<ref name = "Flora of Australia" /> The androecium consists of 20–750 stamens.<ref name = "Florabase" /> The stamens can be petaloid<ref name = "Flora of Pakistan" /> or not petal-like.<ref name=jeps /> The gynoecium consists of 5–35 carpels.<ref name = "Florabase" /> The carpels usually possess a sterile appendage.<ref name = "Flora of Pakistan" /> The globose,<ref name = "Flora of Australia" /> fleshy, spongy, irregularly dehiscent fruit,<ref name = "Florabase" /> borne on a terete, glabrous or pubescent,<ref name="Conard, 1905" /> curved or coiled peduncle,<ref name=fna/> bears arillate,<ref name = "Flora of Australia" /><ref name=jeps /> globose to elliptic,<ref name=jeps /> hairy or glabrous seeds<ref name = "Flora of Australia" /> with a smooth surface or longitudinal ridges.<ref name = "Flora of China" /> Proliferating pseudanthia or tuberous flowers (i.e., sterile, branching, proliferating floral structures for vegetative propagation<ref name="Grob et al., 2006">Template:Cite journal</ref>) can be present or absent.<ref name="de Lima et al., 2021">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="Wiersema, 1987">Template:Cite journal</ref>

CytologyEdit

Various ploidy levels have been observed in Nymphaea: 2x, 3x, 4x, 6x, 8x, and 16x. The chromosome count ranges from 28 to 224.<ref name = "Pellicer et al., 2013">Template:Cite journal</ref>

TaxonomyEdit

The genus Nymphaea L. was described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753. It has three synonyms: Castalia Salisb. published by Richard Anthony Salisbury in 1805, Leuconymphaea Kuntze published by Otto Kuntze in 1891, and Ondinea Hartog published by Cornelis den Hartog in 1970.<ref name="POWO" /> The type species is Nymphaea alba L.<ref name = "IPNI, 2023" />

SubgeneraEdit

The genus Nymphaea has been divided into several subgenera:

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SectionsEdit

The subgenus Nymphaea subg. Nymphaea has been divided into sections:

SpeciesEdit

As of January 2024, there are 65 accepted species by Plants of the World Online:<ref name="POWO"/> Template:Div col

Template:Div col end

Fossil speciesEdit

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Evolutionary relationshipsEdit

The genus Nymphaea may be paraphyletic in its current circumscription, as the genera Euryale and Victoria have been placed within the genus Nymphaea in several studies.<ref name = "Song et al., 2024">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name = "Löhne et al., 2008">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name = "He et al., 2018">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name = "Loehne et al., 2007">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name = "Roestel et al., 2024">Template:Cite journal</ref>

EcologyEdit

HabitatEdit

Nymphaea occurs in freshwater,<ref name = "Parveen et al., 2022">Parveen, S., Kaur, S., Baishya, R., & Goel, S. (2022). Predicting the potential suitable habitats of genus Nymphaea in India using MaxEnt modeling. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 194(12), 853.</ref> as well as brackish water habitats.<ref name="Wiersema & Haynes, 1983">Template:Cite journal</ref>

PollinationEdit

Flowers of Nymphaea subg. Hydrocallis are pollinated by Cyclocephala beetles.<ref name="Maia et al., 2014">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Likewise, beetle pollination by Ruteloryctes morio, a member of the same Cyclocephalini tribe, has been reported in Nymphaea subg. Lotos.<ref name="Hirthe & Porembski, 2003">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="Ervik & Knudsen, 2003">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name = "Krell et al., 2003">Template:Cite journal</ref> The subgenera Nymphaea subg. Anecphya and Nymphaea subg. Brachyceras are pollinated by bees and flies.<ref name="Chalegre et al., 2020">Template:Cite journal</ref> The subgenus Nymphaea subg. Nymphaea is pollinated by bees, flies and beetles.<ref name="Capperino & Schneider, 1985">Template:Cite journal</ref>

HerbivoryEdit

Many birds feed on seeds and fruits of Nymphaea.<ref name = "Parveen et al., 2022" />

Invasive speciesEdit

Outside of its natural habitat, Nymphaea mexicana and hybrids thereof have become invasive weeds.<ref name = "Reid et al., 2021">Reid, M. K., Naidu, P., Paterson, I. D., Mangan, R., & Coetzee, J. A. (2021). Population genetics of invasive and native Nymphaea mexicana Zuccarini: Taking the first steps to initiate a biological control programme in South Africa. Aquatic Botany, 171, 103372.</ref><ref name = "Reid et al., 2024">Reid, M. K., Sutton, G. F., Coetzee, J. A., Gettys, L. A., & Hill, M. P. (2024). Distribution and host preference of a potential biocontrol agent with a new association for the alien water lily Nymphaea mexicana in South Africa. African Journal of Aquatic Science, 49(2), 132-144.</ref><ref name = "Reid et al., 2023">Reid, M. K., Paterson, I. D., Coetzee, J. A., Gettys, L. A., & Hill, M. P. (2023). Know thy enemy: Investigating genetic contributions from putative parents of invasive Nymphaea mexicana hybrids in South Africa as part of efforts to develop biological control. Biological Control, 184, 105291.</ref> It has been proposed to employ the weevil species Bagous longulus as a biocontrol agent against Nymphaea mexicana in South Africa.<ref name = "Reid et al., 2024" /> Invasive horticultural hybrids can pose a threat to Nymphaea species through introgressive hybridisation.<ref name = "Yakandawala & Yakandawala, 2011">Yakandawala, D., & Yakandawala, K. (2011). Hybridization between native and invasive alien plants: an overlooked threat to the biodiversity of Sri Lanka. Ceylon Journal of Science (Biological Sciences), 40(1).</ref> The naturalised hybrids can displace native species and mask their disappearance, as it can be difficult to distinguish between species and naturalised hybrids.<ref name = "Nierbauer, 2014">Nierbauer, K. U., Kanz, B., & Zizka, G. (2014). The widespread naturalisation of Nymphaea hybrids is masking the decline of wild-type Nymphaea alba in Hesse, Germany. Flora-Morphology, Distribution, Functional Ecology of Plants, 209(2), 122-130.</ref><ref name = "Yakandawala et al., 2017">Yakandawala, D., Guruge, S., & Yakandawala, K. (2017). The identity of the violet flowered water lily (Nymphaeaceae) and its hybrid origin in the wetland ecosystems of Sri Lanka. Journal of the National Science Foundation of Sri Lanka, 45(2).</ref>

ConservationEdit

Several species are in danger of extinction. Nymphaea thermarum is classified as critically endangered (CR),<ref name = "Abeli, 2024">Template:Cite iucn</ref> Nymphaea loriana is classified as endangered (EN),<ref name = "Lansdown, 2017">Template:Cite iucn</ref> Nymphaea stuhlmannii is classified as endangered (EN),<ref name = "Mollel, 2024">Template:Cite iucn</ref> and Nymphaea nouchali var. mutandaensis is also classified as endangered (EN).<ref name = "Luke et al., 2019">Template:Cite iucn</ref>

UseEdit

HorticultureEdit

Water lilies are not only decorative, but also provide useful shade which helps reduce the growth of algae in ponds and lakes.<ref name = RHSAZ>Template:Cite book</ref> Many of the water lilies familiar in water gardening are hybrids and cultivars. These cultivars have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit:

  • 'Escarboucle'<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • 'Gladstoniana'<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • 'Gonnère'<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • 'James Brydon;'<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • 'Marliacea Chromatella'<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • 'Pygmaea Helvola'<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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FoodEdit

Template:More citations needed All water lilies are poisonous and contain an alkaloid called nupharin in almost all of their parts.<ref>Chapter 10 Nuphar Alkaloids. J.T. Wróbel, The Alkaloids: Chemistry and Physiology, 1967, Volume 9, Pages 441–465, {{#invoke:doi|main}}</ref>

In India, it has mostly been eaten as a famine food or as a medicinal (both cooked).<ref name=Tiwari>Template:Cite journal</ref>

In Sri Lanka it was formerly eaten as a type of medicine and its price was too high to serve as a normal meal, but in the 1940s or earlier some villagers began to grow water lilies in the paddy fields left uncultivated during the monsoon season (Yala season), and the price dropped. The tubers are called manel here and eaten boiled and in curries.<ref name=Tiwari/>

In West Africa, usage varied between cultures, in the Upper Guinea the rhizomes were only considered famine foods - here the tubers were either roasted in ashes, or dried and ground into a flour. The Buduma people ate the seeds and rhizomes. Some tribes ate the rhizomes raw. The Hausa people of Ghana, Nigeria and the people of Southern Sudan used the tubers of Nymphaea lotus, the seeds (inside the tubers) are locally referred to as 'gunsi' in Ghana. They are ground into flour.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

The plants were also said to be eaten in the Philippines. In the 1950s there were no records of leaves or flowers being eaten.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

In a North American species, the boiled young leaves and unopened flower buds are said to be edible. The seeds, high in starch, protein, and oil, may be popped, parched, or ground into flour. Potato-like tubers can be collected from the species N. tuberosa (=N. odorata).<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Water lilies were said to have been a major food source for a certain tribe of indigenous Australians in 1930, with the flowers and stems eaten raw, while the "roots and seedpods" were cooked either on an open fire or in a ground oven.<ref>McConnel, U. H. 1930. ‘The Wik-Munkan Tribe of Cape York Peninsula’. Oceania 1: 97–108</ref>

File:Dynasty 18 jar with support ring REM.JPG
Blue lotus (Nymphaea caerulea) on an 18th Dynasty jar found at Amarna

Other usesEdit

Tannins extracted from rhizomes are used in dyeing wool a purple-black or brown colour. The peduncles are used as pipes to smoke tobacco.<ref name="Heslop-Harrison, 1955">Template:Cite journal</ref>

CultureEdit

File:Monet - Seerosen 1906.jpg
Water Lilies by Claude Monet, 1906
File:Pälkäne uusi.svg
A Nymphaea flower in the coat of arms of Pälkäne
File:Derafsh Kaviani flag of the late Sassanid Empire.svg
Lotus symbol of the Sasanian Empire flag

The Ancient Egyptians used the water lilies of the Nile as cultural symbols.<ref name=Tresidder1997>Template:Cite book</ref> Since 1580 it has become popular in the English language to apply the Latin word lotus, originally used to designate a tree, to the water lilies growing in Egypt, and much later the word was used to translate words in Indian texts.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The lotus motif is a frequent feature of temple column architecture. In Egypt, the lotus, rising from the bottom mud to unfold its petals to the sun, suggested the glory of the sun's own emergence from the primaeval slime. It was a metaphor of creation. It was a symbol of the fertility gods and goddesses as well as a symbol of the upper Nile as the giver of life.<ref name=Tresidder1997/>

A Roman belief existed that drinking a liquid of crushed Nymphaea in vinegar for 10 consecutive days turned a boy into a eunuch.<ref>Marcellus Empiricus, De medicamentis 33.64; compare Pliny the Elder, Natural History 25.75 (37). "There is an herb called nymphaea in Greek, 'Hercules’ club' in Latin, and baditis in Gaulish. Its root, pounded to a paste and drunk in vinegar for ten consecutive days, has the astonishing effect of turning a boy into a eunuch."</ref>

A Syrian terra-cotta plaque from the 14th–13th centuries BC shows the goddess Asherah holding two lotus blossoms. An ivory panel from the 9th-8th centuries BC shows the god Horus seated on a lotus blossom, flanked by two cherubs.<ref>Dever, W. G. Did God have a Wife? Archeology and Folk Religion in Ancient Israel. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. 2008. pp 221, 279.</ref>

The French Impressionist painter Claude Monet is known for his many paintings of water lilies in the pond in his garden at Giverny.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

N. nouchali is the national flower of Bangladesh<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and Sri Lanka.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Water lilies are also used as ritual narcotics. According to one source, this topic "was the subject of a lecture by William Emboden given at Nash Hall of the Harvard Botanical Museum on the morning of April 6, 1979".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

ExamplesEdit

See alsoEdit

ReferencesEdit

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External linksEdit

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Further readingEdit

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