Water Lily

Group: Flowers

The Water Nymph by Herbert James Draper, 1908

Nymphea is derived from Greek mythology where nymphs were minor deities associated with specific locations, including springs or small bodies of water. Genus Nymphea is representing their species as water lily. Water lily flowers has wonderful beauty and fragrant, lasting only a few days. Water-lilies are the most picturesque of our native plants. According to Indian mystics, lotus is known as the better half of sun while water-lily is of moon. Water lilies are characterized by their circular floating leaves and white or yellow flowers. They grow at the edges of slow flowing rivers, in canals, lakes and ponds. They can grow in water of up to 5m deep, but prefer depths of between 1m and 3m.

FAMILY – Nympheaceae
GENUS - Nymphea
SPECIES - Genus Nymphea is represented by about 50 aquatic plant species, which has a cosmopolitan distribution. Some species of water lily and their common name are as follows:

	Nymphaea alba Common Name - European White Water lily and White Lotus
Nymphaea odorata Common Name - Fragrant Water Lily and Beaver Root
	Nymphaea nouchali Synonym N. stellata Common Name - Red and blue water lily, Blue star water lily, Star lotus
Nymphaea caerulea Common Name - Blue Egyptian water lily and sacred blue lily
	Nymphaea capensis Common Name - Cape blue water lily
Nymphaea leibergii Common Name - Dwarf Water lily and Leiberg's water lily
	Nymphaea lotus Common Name - Tiger Lotus, White lotus and Egyptian White Water-lily
Nymphaea mexicana Common Name - Yellow Water lily, Mexican Water lily and Banana Water lily
	Nymphaea pubescens Common Name - Hairy water lily or Pink water-lily

Nymphea odorata, N. nouchali Syn. N. Stellata and N. alba are more common and important species of water lily group.

N. odorata is known as fragrant white water lily, have fragrant, white or pink flowers
with flat, round, floating leaves. It usually flowers only from early morning until noon. Each flower lasts only 3-4 days, the flowers are quite fragrant. Each flower has 4 greenish white sepals on the bottom that rest on the water surface, and about 20-35 white petals above. It was utilized in many ways by Native Americans in the eastern United States. The leaves and flowers were used as cooling compresses. The rhizomes were also used as food and the young leaves and lower buds were eaten as a vegetable. The seeds were fried and eaten or ground into flour.

N. nuochali is a day blooming plant with floating, round and green leaves. It is a large perennial herb which is found growing throughout the India and southeastern Asia. This water-lily has a beautiful flower which is the national flower of Bangladesh (where it is known as “Shapla”) and Sri Lanka (where it is known as “Nil Mahanel”). The red and blue water – lily is used as a decorative and ornamental plant due to its spectacular flowers. Nymphea nuochali is consider a medicinal plant in India and being utilized in Ophthalmic, wounds, sore, disease of mouth, headache, skin disease, styptic, alcoholic delirium, muscoskeletal disorders, gynecological problems and hair fall etc. The alcoholic extract of defatted fruits produced mild sedation and ataxia.

Nymph by Emile Albert Gruppe

N. alba is known as the European Water-lily has white flowers. It is deciduous perennial plant which flourishes in full sun. Its foliage is dark green glossy leaves can be up to 30 cm across and its flowers are semi-double pure white and cup shaped. It grows in water 30-150cm deep and prefers still to slow moving water in a large pond or lake. N. alba leaves yielded alpha-aminoadipic acid, luteolin-8-C-beta-D-glucopyranosoid and gossypitrin while flowers cardiac glucoside nymphalin. Nymphalin show sedative action in small doses. A decoction of flowers works as a cardiac tonic in palpitation.

Author: Dr. Chandra Shekhar Gupta

Senior Research Fellow
Plant Quarantine Division
National Bearue of Plant Genetic Resources
Pusa Campus, New Delhi