Water Lily
Nymphaea sp.
Photographed at a man-made pond in a revegetated quarry north of Mombasa, Kenya. January 2012.
LEAVES: Nearly circular leaves with a notch at the petiole attachment
float on water surface. Margins are notched.
HERB: The floating portions are entirely herbaceous, but tough, woody
rhizomes are embedded in the soil below.
FLOWERS: The flowers are large and showy with many sepals, petals and
stamens.
RANGE: Various species and hybrids of Nymphaea are likely to be
encountered where people have transported them to ponds and pools. Two common
ones that might be found are Nymphaea caerulea, the Blue Egyptian
Water Lily, and Nymphaea nouchali, the Red and Blue Water Lily. By
some authorities these are really varieties of the same species.
FRUIT: The mature floating fruit contains many seeds.
UNARMED.