Nymphaea odorata

Nymphaea odorata, also known as the American white waterlily, fragrant water-lily, beaver root, fragrant white water lily, white water lily, sweet-scented white water lily, and sweet-scented water lily, is an aquatic plant belonging to the genus Nymphaea. It can commonly be found in shallow lakes, ponds, and permanent slow moving waters throughout North America where it ranges from Central America to northern Canada. It is also reported from Brazil and Guyana.

Description

This plant is rooted from branched rhizomes 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. The flowers also float. They are radially symmetric with prominent yellow stamens 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.

Cytology

The chromosome count is n = 28 or n = 56. The genome size is 1574.58 Mb.

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:

• Nymphaea odorata subsp. odorata
• 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.

The muck-submerged stems are eaten by muskrats.

References

External links

• Jepson Manual Treatment

1. Nymphaea
2. Nymphaea odorata subsp. tuberosa
3. Nymphaea alba
4. Nymphaea subg. Nymphaea
5. Nymphaea × thiona
6. Nymphaea leibergii
7. Odoratus
8. Mesangiospermae
9. Afzelin
10. Lake Sawyer
11. Nymphaea tetragona
12. Bayhead
13. White waterlily
14. Euschistus ictericus
15. List of wetland plants
16. Big Thicket
17. St. Johns River
18. List of Nymphaeales of Montana
19. List of introduced species
20. List of leaf vegetables