Nymphaeaceae
Water-Lily Family
The Nymphaeaceae family (Water-Lily Family) is a botanical family placed in the order Nymphaeales. In the SASYA catalogue it spans 7 species across 3 genera. Its members are predominantly herb (aquatic)s. Well-represented genera include Nymphaea, Euryale and Victoria. Several members are valued in traditional medicine. Familiar examples include Fox-nut, European White Waterlily and Yellow Waterlily.
Browse all 7 species ↓
Round or heart-shaped floating leaves with a deep basal notch, attached by a long flexible stalk to a rhizome rooted in mud below; many-petalled flowers float or rise just above the water surface, showing a gradual transition from outer petals to inner stamens rather than a sharp boundary between them.
The flower's petal-to-stamen transition is a living example of floral evolution in action — a visible reminder that petals are believed to have evolved from modified stamens.
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Typical leaf characters
Characters typical of the family — individual species can vary.
Notable members
All 7 species in NYMPHAEACEAE
- Fox-Nut, Gorgon FruitEuryale ferox
- European White WaterlilyNymphaea alba
- Yellow WaterlilyNymphaea mexicana
- Day WaterlilyNymphaea nouchali var. cyanea
- White Lotus, Night Lotus, Indian Water-Lily, Hairy WaterlilyNymphaea pubescens
- Red Waterlily, Indian Red WaterlilyNymphaea rubra
- Amazon Giant WaterlilyVictoria amazonica
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