Nymphaea odorata, also known as the American white waterlily,[Stevens, W. D., C. Ulloa Ulloa, A. Pool & O. M. Montiel. 2001. Flora de Nicaragua. Monographs in systematic botany from the Missouri Botanical Garden 85: i–xlii][CONABIO. 2009. Catálogo taxonómico de especies de México. 1. In Capital Nat. México. CONABIO, Mexico City][Scoggan, H. J. 1978. Dicotyledoneae (Saururaceae to Violaceae). 3: 547–1115. In Flora of Canada. National Museums of Canada, Ottawa.][Godfrey, R. K. & J. W. Wooten. 1981. Aquatic and Wetland Plants of Southeastern United States Dicotyledons 1–944. Univ. Georgia Press, Athens] It is also reported from Brazil and Guyana.[Funk, V. A., P. E. Berry, S. Alexander, T. H. Hollowell & C. L. Kelloff. 2007. Checklist of the Plants of the Guiana Shield (Venezuela: Amazonas, Bolivar, Delta Amacuro; Guyana, Surinam, French Guiana). Contributions from the United States National Herbarium 55: 1–584][Forzza, R. C. 2010. Lista de espécies Flora do Brasil http://floradobrasil.jbrj.gov.br/2010 . Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro]
Description
This plant is rooted from branched
that gives rise to long petioles that terminate in smooth floating leaves. Since the leaves are subject to tearing by water and waves, they are round with a waxy upper coating that is water-repellent.
[Sculthorpe, C.D. (1967). The Biology of Aquatic Vascular Plants. Reprinted 1985 Edward Arnold, by London.] The flowers also float. They are radially symmetric with prominent yellow
and many white petals. The flowers open each day and close again each night and are very fragrant. Once the flowers are pollinated, the developing fruit is pulled back under water for maturation.
[Keddy, P.A. (2010). Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation (2nd edition). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 497 p.]
Cytology
The chromosome count is n = 28 or n = 56. The genome size is 1574.58 Mb.
[Chen, F., Liu, X., Yu, C., Chen, Y., Tang, H., & Zhang, L. (2017). "Water lilies as emerging models for Darwin's abominable mystery." Horticulture research, 4.]
Chemistry
The
lignans nymphaeoside A and
icariside E, and the flavonols kaempferol 3-O-alpha-l-rhamnopyranoside (
afzelin), quercetin 3-O-alpha-l-rhamnopyranoside (
quercitrin), myricetin 3-O-alpha-l-rhamnopyranoside (
myricitrin), quercetin 3-O-(6'-O-acetyl)-beta-d-galactopyranoside, myricetin 3-O-beta-d-galactopyranoside and myricetin 3-O-(6'-O-acetyl)-beta-d-galactopyranoside can be found in
N. odorata.
Taxonomy
Subspecies
It is divided into two subspecies:
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Nymphaea odorata subsp. odorata
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Nymphaea odorata subsp. tuberosa (Paine) Wiersema & Hellq.
Uses
The fragrant water-lily has both medical and edible parts. The seeds, flowers and rhizomes can all be eaten raw or cooked.
The root can be boiled to produce a liquid which can be gargled to treat sore throats or drunk to treat diarrhea.
The rhizomes were also used by Native Americans to treat coughs and colds. The stem can be placed directly on teeth to treat a toothache.
[Arnason, J. T., Hamersley Chambers, F., Karst, A., Kershaw, L., Mackinnon, A., Owen, P. 2009. Edible & medicinal plants of Canada. Edmonton, AB: Lone Pine Publishing]
The muck-submerged stems are eaten by .
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