Nymphaea maculata

{{Speciesbox

| image =

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| genus = Nymphaea

| parent = Nymphaea subg. Brachyceras

| species = maculata

| authority = Schumach. & Thonn.

| synonyms =

Nymphaea discolor Lehm.
Nymphaea poecila Lehm.

| synonyms_ref =

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Nymphaea maculata is a species of waterlily native to tropical Africa.{{cite POWO |id=605613-1 |title=Nymphaea maculata Schumach. & Thonn. |accessdate=3 January 2024}}

Description

=Vegetative characteristics=

Nymphaea maculata is a submerged, perennial, aquatic herbAkobundu, I. O., Agyakwa, C. W. (1987). [https://books.google.com/books?id=GSqs_1JEO7oC&dq=%22Nymphaea%20maculata%22&pg=PA60 "A Handbook of West African Weeds."] p. 60. Nigeria: International Institute of Tropical Agriculture. with subglobose rhizomes, and many long, filiform roots. The petiolate, ovate-cordate floating leaves have entire margins. The abaxial leaf surface is spotted. The green abaxial leaf surface with black spotting displays prominent, dichotomous, anastomosing venation.

=Generative characteristics=

The white, or blueish-white flowers are 3-8 cm wide. The flowers have four sepals, and 5-10 petals. 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.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

Reproduction

=Generative reproduction=

Flowering occurs from February to March.[https://books.google.com/books?id=_ajtCAAAQBAJ&dq=%22Nymphaea%20maculata%22&pg=PA283 "Phenology and Seasonality Modeling."] p. 283. (2013). Deutschland: Springer Berlin Heidelberg.

Taxonomy

=Publication=

It was first described by Heinrich Christian Friedrich Schumacher and Peter Thonning in 1827.

Etymology

The specific epithet maculata means spotted.Doi, A. (2000). [https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/specdiv/5/4/5_KJ00003893262/_pdf "Parasikukia maculata, a New Genus and New Species of Cyprinid Fish from Peninsular Thailand."] Species Diversity, 5(4), 391-396.

Conservation

In Benin, it is regarded as vulnerable (VU).[https://books.google.com/books?id=VT38DwAAQBAJ&dq=%22Nymphaea%20maculata%22&pg=PA64 "Stratégie nationale et plan d’actions de gestion durable des écosystèmes de mangroves du Bénin."] p. 64. (2020). (n.p.): Food & Agriculture Org.. It will face changes in land use, and habitat fragmentation.[https://books.google.com/books?id=Q91fDwAAQBAJ&dq=%22Nymphaea%20maculata%22&pg=PA53 "Inventaire floristique et faunique des écosystèmes de mangroves et des zones humides côtières du Bénin."] p. 53. (2018). (n.p.): Food & Agriculture Org..

Ecology

=Habitat=

It occurs in ponds, swamps,[https://books.google.com/books?id=8jEYBgAAQBAJ&dq=%22Nymphaea%20maculata%22&pg=PA235 "Ressources naturelles et environnement en Afrique."] p. 235. (2010). (n.p.): KARTHALA Editions.Engler, A. (1925). [https://books.google.com/books?id=64Dui1nbzx8C&q=%22Nymphaea%20maculata%22 "Die Pflanzenwelt Afrikas insbesondere seiner tropischen Gebiete: Grundzüge der Pflanzenverbreitung in Afrika und die Charakterpflanzen Afrikas."] pp. 35, 180. Deutschland: W. Engelmann. permanent spring pools,[https://books.google.com/books?id=yHZQAAAAYAAJ&q=%22Nymphaea%20maculata%22 "Mitteilungen der Botanischen Staatssammlung München."] p. 53. (1971). Deutschland: H. Merxmüller. acid, shallow, oligotrophic pools, and shallow pools in marshes with very dark waters.Géhu, J. (2000). [https://books.google.com/books?id=dhZHAAAAYAAJ&q=%22Nymphaea%20maculata%22 "Les données de la phytosociologie sigmatiste: structure, gestion, utilisation."] pp. 371, 374. Deutschland: J. Cramer. It occurs sympatrically with Nymphaea lotus.

Use

The rhizome is edible,Malaisse, F. (2010). [https://books.google.com/books?id=FcXW4MJUGYkC&dq=%22Nymphaea%20maculata%22&pg=PA80 "How to live and survive in Zambezian open forest (Miombo ecoregion)."] p. 80. Belgien: Presses agronomiques de Gembloux. and the fruits are eaten as well.Hahn, K., Schmidt, M., & Thiombiano, A. (2018). [https://ojs.ub.uni-frankfurt.de/fvss/index.php/fvss/article/download/57/42 "The use of wild plants for food: a national scale analysis for Burkina Faso (West Africa)."] Flora et Vegetatio Sudano-Sambesica, 21, 25-33. In Cameroon, Nymphaea maculata is an important melliferous plant for honey production.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.