Species: Nymphaea alba
English Name: Swedish Red Waterlily
Chinese Name: 紅睡蓮
Family: Nymphaeaceae
Description:
Rhizomes repent, sparsely branched, but not stoloniferous. Leaf blade suborbicular, 10–25 cm in diam., papery, abaxially glabrous, scarcely peltate, base deeply cordate and basal lobes subparallel or spreading, margin entire. Flower floating, (7–) 10–20 cm in diam. Calyx insertion on receptacle circular; sepals lanceolate, 3–5(–8) cm, obscurely veined, caducous or decaying after anthesis. Petals (12–)20–25(–33), white, ovate-oblong, 3–5.5(–8) cm, transition to stamens gradual. Filament of inner stamens ± as wide as anther; connective apically unappendaged. Carpels completely united, walls between locules of ovary single. Stigma rays (8–)14–20(–25); carpellary appendages triangular-tapered. Fruit semiglobose, 2.5–3 cm. Seeds ellipsoid, 2–3(–5) mm, smooth. Fl. Jun–Aug. 2n = 56, 84, 112.
© 2010 Cristian Bortes
Photos used under a Creative Commons license
References:
Wu ZY, Raven PH, Hong DY (eds) (2001) Flora of China. Vol. 6 (Caryophyllaceae through Lardizabalaceae.). Science Press, Beijing, and Missouri Bot Garden Press, St. Louis