Nymphaea maculata

Nymphaea maculata
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Order:	Nymphaeales
Family:	Nymphaeaceae
Genus:	Nymphaea
Species:	N. maculata
Binomial name
	Nymphaea maculata; Schumach. & Thonn.
Synonyms
	Nymphaea discolor Lehm.; Nymphaea poecila Lehm.;

Nymphaea maculata is a species of waterlily native to tropical Africa.^[1]

Description

Vegetative characteristics

Nymphaea maculata is a submerged, perennial, aquatic herb^[2] with subglobose rhizomes, and many long, filiform roots. The petiolate, ovate-cordate floating leaves^[3] have entire margins. The abaxial leaf surface is spotted.^[2] The green abaxial leaf surface with black spotting displays prominent, dichotomous, anastomosing venation.^[3]

Generative characteristics

The white, or blueish-white flowers are 3-8 cm wide.^[2] The flowers have four sepals,^[3] and 5-10 petals.^[2] The androecium consists of 30 stamens. The ovary is subglobose, and has 14 stigmatic rays. The carpels have slightly incurved teeth. The multilocular, rounded fruit bears numerous small, arillate,rounded seeds.^[3]

Reproduction

Generative reproduction

Flowering occurs from February to March.^[4]

Taxonomy

Publication

It was first described by Heinrich Christian Friedrich Schumacher and Peter Thonning in 1827.^[1]

Etymology

The specific epithet maculata means spotted.^[5]

Conservation

In Benin, it is regarded as vulnerable (VU).^[6] It will face changes in land use, and habitat fragmentation.^[7]

Ecology

Habitat

It occurs in ponds,^[8] swamps,^[9]^[8] permanent spring pools,^[10] acid, shallow, oligotrophic pools, and shallow pools in marshes with very dark waters.^[11] It occurs sympatrically with Nymphaea lotus.^[2]

Use

The rhizome is edible,^[12] and the fruits are eaten as well.^[13] In Cameroon, Nymphaea maculata is an important melliferous plant for honey production.^[14]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Nymphaea maculata Schumach. & Thonn". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Akobundu, I. O., Agyakwa, C. W. (1987). "A Handbook of West African Weeds." p. 60. Nigeria: International Institute of Tropical Agriculture.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Schumacher, H. C. F. (1827). Beskrivelse af Guineeiske Planter som ere fundne af dankse Botanikere, især af Etatsraad Thonning. pp. 247-248. http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/openurl?ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft.date=1827&rft.spage=247&rft_id=http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/51454&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:book&url_ver=z39.88-2004
^ "Phenology and Seasonality Modeling." p. 283. (2013). Deutschland: Springer Berlin Heidelberg.
^ Doi, A. (2000). "Parasikukia maculata, a New Genus and New Species of Cyprinid Fish from Peninsular Thailand." Species Diversity, 5(4), 391-396.
^ "Stratégie nationale et plan d’actions de gestion durable des écosystèmes de mangroves du Bénin." p. 64. (2020). (n.p.): Food & Agriculture Org..
^ "Inventaire floristique et faunique des écosystèmes de mangroves et des zones humides côtières du Bénin." p. 53. (2018). (n.p.): Food & Agriculture Org..
^ ^a ^b Engler, A. (1925). "Die Pflanzenwelt Afrikas insbesondere seiner tropischen Gebiete: Grundzüge der Pflanzenverbreitung in Afrika und die Charakterpflanzen Afrikas." pp. 35, 180. Deutschland: W. Engelmann.
^ "Ressources naturelles et environnement en Afrique." p. 235. (2010). (n.p.): KARTHALA Editions.
^ "Mitteilungen der Botanischen Staatssammlung München." p. 53. (1971). Deutschland: H. Merxmüller.
^ Géhu, J. (2000). "Les données de la phytosociologie sigmatiste: structure, gestion, utilisation." pp. 371, 374. Deutschland: J. Cramer.
^ Malaisse, F. (2010). "How to live and survive in Zambezian open forest (Miombo ecoregion)." p. 80. Belgien: Presses agronomiques de Gembloux.
^ Hahn, K., Schmidt, M., & Thiombiano, A. (2018). "The use of wild plants for food: a national scale analysis for Burkina Faso (West Africa)." Flora et Vegetatio Sudano-Sambesica, 21, 25-33.
^ Delphine, D. N., & Joseph, T. (2015). Palynological and physicochemical characterization of honey in the Sudano-Guinean zone of Cameroon. Food and Nutrition Sciences, 6(15), 1339.

[POWO,_2024-1] "Nymphaea maculata Schumach. & Thonn". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 3 January 2024.

[Akobundu_&_Agyakwa,_1987-2] Akobundu, I. O., Agyakwa, C. W. (1987). "A Handbook of West African Weeds." p. 60. Nigeria: International Institute of Tropical Agriculture.

[Schumacher,_1827-3] Schumacher, H. C. F. (1827). Beskrivelse af Guineeiske Planter som ere fundne af dankse Botanikere, især af Etatsraad Thonning. pp. 247-248. http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/openurl?ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft.date=1827&rft.spage=247&rft_id=http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/51454&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:book&url_ver=z39.88-2004

[Lieth,_2013-4] "Phenology and Seasonality Modeling." p. 283. (2013). Deutschland: Springer Berlin Heidelberg.

[Doi,_2000-5] Doi, A. (2000). "Parasikukia maculata, a New Genus and New Species of Cyprinid Fish from Peninsular Thailand." Species Diversity, 5(4), 391-396.

[FAO,_2020-6] "Stratégie nationale et plan d’actions de gestion durable des écosystèmes de mangroves du Bénin." p. 64. (2020). (n.p.): Food & Agriculture Org..

[FAO,_2018-7] "Inventaire floristique et faunique des écosystèmes de mangroves et des zones humides côtières du Bénin." p. 53. (2018). (n.p.): Food & Agriculture Org..

[Engler,_1925-8] Engler, A. (1925). "Die Pflanzenwelt Afrikas insbesondere seiner tropischen Gebiete: Grundzüge der Pflanzenverbreitung in Afrika und die Charakterpflanzen Afrikas." pp. 35, 180. Deutschland: W. Engelmann.

[KARTHALA-9] "Ressources naturelles et environnement en Afrique." p. 235. (2010). (n.p.): KARTHALA Editions.

[Merxmüller,_1971-10] "Mitteilungen der Botanischen Staatssammlung München." p. 53. (1971). Deutschland: H. Merxmüller.

[Géhu,_2000-11] Géhu, J. (2000). "Les données de la phytosociologie sigmatiste: structure, gestion, utilisation." pp. 371, 374. Deutschland: J. Cramer.

[Malaisse,_2010-12] Malaisse, F. (2010). "How to live and survive in Zambezian open forest (Miombo ecoregion)." p. 80. Belgien: Presses agronomiques de Gembloux.

[Hahn_et_al._2018-13] Hahn, K., Schmidt, M., & Thiombiano, A. (2018). "The use of wild plants for food: a national scale analysis for Burkina Faso (West Africa)." Flora et Vegetatio Sudano-Sambesica, 21, 25-33.

[Delphine_&_Joseph,_2015-14] Delphine, D. N., & Joseph, T. (2015). Palynological and physicochemical characterization of honey in the Sudano-Guinean zone of Cameroon. Food and Nutrition Sciences, 6(15), 1339.

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