Nymphaeaceae
Nymphaea

Nymphaea heudelotii Planch.

First published in Rev. Hort. (Paris), sér. 4, 2: 65 (1853)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is W. Tropical Africa to Uganda and Botswana. It is a rhizomatous hydrogeophyte and grows primarily in the wet tropical biome.

Descriptions

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/185674/140425959

Conservation
LC - least concern
[IUCN]

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Nymphaeaceae, B. Verdcourt. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1989

Morphology General Habit
Delicate aquatic herb with elongate rhizome 1 cm. thick.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves green above, reddish or brownish purple beneath, 2–5(–?12) cm. long, 1.8–4.5(–?12) cm. wide, incised cordate and slightly peltate, the lobes obtuse or acute, divergent, nearly closed or sometimes overlapping, smooth; lateral nerves 4–5 on each side, impressed, slightly raised or inconspicuous; petiole ± 20 cm. long, slender.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers very sweetly scented, 3–8 cm. in diameter, held ± 5 cm. above the water; peduncle ± 30 cm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals 4, green, oblong-lanceolate, 1.5–3(–4) cm. long, 0.3–1 cm. wide, sometimes with dark purple spots on margins.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals (5–)7–14, blue, lilac-pink or rarely ± white, lanceolate, as long as the sepals, ± 6 mm. wide, acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens typically 8–20 but often more in intermediates (? hybrids — see note); anthers 2.5 mm. long and equalling filaments (baumii type) to 10 mm. long and much exceeding filaments (heudelotii type); connective-appendages 0.5–4 mm. long, acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Carpels
Carpels 5–10; stigma subsessile.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit globose, 1–1.5 cm. diameter.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds pinkish or grey, subglobose or ovoid, 1–1.2 mm. long, ± 0.8 mm. wide, clathrate with longitudinal ribs, pitted or often ± smooth or in some intermediates/hybrids the ribs with minute hairs.
Habitat
Small pools in Sphagnum bogs and channels in Papyrus associations, also adjoining open water; 1120–1200 m.
Distribution
U1 U4 W. Africa
[FTEA]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • IUCN Categories

    • IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2026. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2026. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Science Photographs

    • Copyright applied to individual images