Nymphaea subg. Anecphya


Nymphaea subg. Anecphya is a subgenus of the genus Nymphaea.

Description

Vegetative characteristics

The rhizomes are erect and tuberous. The rhizomes do not produce stolons. The leaves have dentate margins.

Generative characteristics

The diurnal flowers are large and emergent. In Nymphaea subg. Anecphya s.str. there is a conspicuous gap separating petals from stamens. The flowers have up to 600 stamens. The carpels do not have carpellary appendages.

Taxonomy

Publication

It was published by Robert Caspary as Nymphaea subsect. Anecphya Casp. in 1888. Later, it was elevated to the subgenus Nymphaea subgen. Anecphya Conard published by Henry Shoemaker Conard in 1905. Part of this subgenus was split off by Surrey Wilfrid Laurance Jacobs in 2007 to create the new subgenus Nymphaea subgenus Confluentes S.W.L.Jacobs.

Type species

The type species is Nymphaea gigantea Hook.

Species

Distribution

Nymphaea subg. Anecphya has an Australasian distribution.

Ecology

Habitat

Species of this subgenus occur in lagoons, lakes, ponds, creeks, artificial dams, and billabongs.

Horticulture

Species of this subgenus are uncommon in cultivation, as they are more difficult to grow compared to the Nymphaea species of other subgenera. It has been used in intersubgeneric hybridisation with Nymphaea subg. Brachyceras.