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Nymphaea alba L.

European white waterlily (en), Nénuphar blanc (fr), Lys des étangs (fr), Nymphéa blanc (fr)

Species

Angiosperms > Nymphaeales > Nymphaeaceae > Nymphaea

Characteristics

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.
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A herb. It grows in water. The rhizomes or underground stems are bent backwards and sparsely branched. There are no stolons or runners. The leaf blade is rounded and 10-25 cm across. It is papery. It is smooth underneath. The leaf stalks joins almost at the edge of the leaf. The base is deeply heart shaped and the lobes at the base are almost parallel or spreading. The flower is floating. It is 10-20 cm across. The sepals are sword shaped and 3-5 cm across while there are 20-25 petals which are 3-5.5 cm across and white. The fruit is half round and 2.5-3 cm across. The seeds are oval and 2-3 mm across. They are smooth.
Aquatic herb. Rhizome creeping, stout; brood-bodies 0. Lvs suborbicular to elliptic with deep, slightly spreading basal sinus, entire, glabrous, not brown-blotched, (6)-10-25 × (6)-10-25 cm; basal lobes not usually over-lapping. Sepals 4, lanceolate, acute, white above, green beneath, obscurely veined, decaying after flowering, 40-70 × 15-25 mm. Petals usually white, rarely pink, veined, 50-90 × 20-30 mm. Filaments of innermost stamens c. 1 mm wide. Stigma flat; rays 14-20. Seeds 2-3 mm long.
A related European sp., is casually intr. in N. Engl. It has the petioles crowded on the rhizome, the blades deep purple beneath, the fls open nearly all day, and the pet rounded above.
Life form perennial
Growth form herb
Growth support aquatic
Foliage retention deciduous
Sexuality hermaphrodite
Pollination entomogamy
Spread hydrochory
Mature width (meter) 1.0 - 1.5
Mature height (meter) -
Root system rhizome
Rooting depth (meter) 0.5
Root diameter (meter) -
Flower color
Blooming months
JanFebMar
AprMayJun
JulAugSep
OctNovDec
Fruit color -
Fruiting months -
Nitrogen fixer -
Photosynthetic pathway c3

Environment

It is a temperate plant. It can be planted at 3 m depth in water. It grows in wetlands. In China is is cultivated and naturalised in ponds in N China. It suits hardiness zones 5-9.
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Marshes, ponds, slow moving streams, lakes and canals up to 1.  deep.
Light 6-9
Soil humidity 10-12
Soil texture 1-6
Soil acidity 3-8
Soil nutriment -
Hardiness (USDA) 5-8

Usage

The root can be cooked and eaten after flavouring. The leaf stalks are eaten raw in salads. The seeds are dried and eaten. They are eaten raw or fried like corn.
Uses environmental use food material medicinal ornamental
Edible flowers roots seeds stems
Therapeutic use Aphrodisiacs (bark), Anti-bacterial agents (flower), Anticonvulsants (flower), Antihypertensive agents (flower), Anti-infective agents (flower), Anti-infective agents, local (flower), Anti-inflammatory agents (flower), Asthma (flower), Astringents (flower), Cardiotonic agents (flower), Common cold (flower), Conscious sedation (flower), Contraceptive agents (flower), Demulcents (flower), Dermatitis (flower), Diabetes mellitus (flower), Diarrhea (flower), Diuretics (flower), Dyspepsia (flower), Hemorrhage (flower), Hemorrhoids (flower), Hypnotics and sedatives (flower), Leukorrhea (flower), Liver diseases (flower), Menorrhagia (flower), Pain (flower), Parasympatholytics (flower), Pharyngitis (flower), Prostatitis (flower), Skin diseases (flower), Syncope (flower), Thirst (flower), Vaginitis (flower), Vomiting (flower), Wounds and injuries (flower), Diaphoretic (flower), Cooling effect on body (flower), Diarrhea (fruit), Rabies (fruit), Snake bites (fruit), Tetanus (fruit), Diaphoretic (fruit), Urolithiasis (leaf), Analgesics (rhizome), Anthelmintics (rhizome), Antihypertensive agents (rhizome), Anti-infective agents (rhizome), Anti-infective agents, local (rhizome), Aphrodisiacs (rhizome), Astringents (rhizome), Cardiotonic agents (rhizome), Central nervous system depressants (rhizome), Common cold (rhizome), Conscious sedation (rhizome), Demulcents (rhizome), Dermatitis (rhizome), Diabetes mellitus (rhizome), Diarrhea (rhizome), Hemorrhoids (rhizome), Hypnotics and sedatives (rhizome), Leukorrhea (rhizome), Menorrhagia (rhizome), Nootropic agents (rhizome), Parasympatholytics (rhizome), Pharyngitis (rhizome), Prostatitis (rhizome), Skin diseases (rhizome), Vaginitis (rhizome), Wounds and injuries (rhizome), Cooling effect on body (rhizome), Analgesics (root), Astringents (root), Diarrhea (root), Dysentery (root), Mental disorders (root), Narcotics (root), Anti-infective agents (seed), Anti-infective agents, local (seed), Astringents (seed), Conscious sedation (seed), Demulcents (seed), Diabetes mellitus (seed), Diarrhea (seed), Hemorrhoids (seed), Leukorrhea (seed), Menorrhagia (seed), Parasympatholytics (seed), Pharyngitis (seed), Prostatitis (seed), Skin diseases (seed), Vaginitis (seed), Cooling effect on body (seed), Menorrhagia (stem), Anaphrodisiac (unspecified), Astringent (unspecified), Diarrhea (unspecified), Hemostat (unspecified), Narcotic (unspecified), Sedative (unspecified), Tumor (unspecified), Spasm (unspecified), Anti-anxiety agents (unspecified), Antineoplastic agents (unspecified), Antioxidants (unspecified), Antipyretics (unspecified), Aphrodisiacs (unspecified), Astringents (unspecified), Burns (unspecified), Demulcents (unspecified), Dysentery (unspecified), Dysphonia (unspecified), Emollients (unspecified), Epistaxis (unspecified), Hypnotics and sedatives (unspecified), Lipid peroxidation (unspecified), Menorrhagia (unspecified), Muscle relaxation (unspecified), Narcotics (unspecified), Parasympatholytics (unspecified), Urination disorders (unspecified)
Human toxicity toxic (flower)
Animal toxicity toxic (flower)

Cultivation

Can be grown by divisions or seedlings.
Mode divisions seedlings
Germination duration (days) -
Germination temperacture (C°) -
Germination luminosity -
Germination treatment -
Minimum temperature (C°) -
Optimum temperature (C°) -
Size -
Vigor -
Productivity -

Images

Habit

Nymphaea alba habit picture by Terje Norli (cc-by-sa)
Nymphaea alba habit picture by Schaberl (cc-by-sa)
Nymphaea alba habit picture by Dieter Albrecht (cc-by-sa)

Leaf

Nymphaea alba leaf picture by Pablo Gutierrez Del Villar (cc-by-sa)
Nymphaea alba leaf picture by Kampf Robert (cc-by-sa)
Nymphaea alba leaf picture by NaNo_ N9 (cc-by-sa)

Flower

Nymphaea alba flower picture by Terje Norli (cc-by-sa)
Nymphaea alba flower picture by Barry Cornelius (cc-by-sa)
Nymphaea alba flower picture by angelo (cc-by-sa)

Distribution

Nymphaea alba world distribution map, present in Albania, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Belarus, Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Canada, Switzerland, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Germany, Denmark, Algeria, Spain, Estonia, Finland, France, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Georgia, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, India, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Israel, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Morocco, North Macedonia, Malta, Myanmar, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Syrian Arab Republic, Tunisia, Ukraine, and South Africa

Conservation status

Nymphaea alba threat status: Least Concern

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:171158-2
WFO ID wfo-0000381440
COL ID 48696
BDTFX ID 44268
INPN ID 109750
Wikipedia (EN) Link
Wikipedia (FR) Link

Synonyms

Nymphaea neglecta Nymphaea minoriflora Nymphaea occidentalis Nymphaea kosteletzkyi Nymphaea melocarpa Nymphaea exumbonata Leuconymphaea alba Nymphaea suaveolens Nymphaea splendens Nymphaea venusta Nymphaea urceolata Nymphaea milletii Nymphaea rotundifolia Nymphaea permixta Nymphaea parviflora Nymphaea polystigma Nymphaea officinalis Nymphaea erythrocarpa Nymphaea basniniana Nymphaea biradiata Castalia alba Castalia biradiata Castalia speciosa Castalia minoriflora Nymphaea alba subsp. minoriflora Nymphaea alba var. rubra Nymphaea alba var. alba Nymphaea alba
WorldFloraDB 2024