Nuphar variegata

Nuphar variegata is rhizomatous, perennial, aquatic herb in the water lily family Nymphaeaceae native to much of Canada and the northernmost of the United States.

Description

Vegetative characteristics

Nuphar variegata is a rhizomatous, perennial, aquatic herb with 2.5–7 cm wide rhizomes. The leaves are submerged or floating, but most are floating leaves. The submerged leaves are 7–35 cm long, and 5–25 cm wide. The petiole is flattened.

Generative characteristics

The 2.5–5 cm wide, yellow flowers float on the water surface or extend beyond it. The flowers have 6 yellow sepals which enclose the small petals. The gynoecium consists of 7–28 carpels. The green to yellow, or rarely red stigmatic disk with 7–28 stigmatic rays is 8–20 mm wide. The fleshy, strongly ribbed, ovoid, 2–4.3 cm long, and 2–3.5 cm wide fruit bears 2.5-5 mm long seeds.

Cytology

The chromosome count is 2n = 34.

Taxonomy

It was first validly published by Elias Durand in 1866 based on previous work by George Engelmann. It is placed in the section Nuphar sect. Astylus.

Natural hybridisation

Together with Nuphar microphylla, it forms the natural hybrid Nuphar × rubrodisca.

Etymology

The specific epithet variegata, from the Latin variegatus, means variously coloured.