Nymphaea heudelotii is a species of waterlily native to the region spanning from tropical West Africa to Uganda and Botswana.[2]

Nymphaea heudelotii
Nymphaea heudelotii cultivated in the Botanischer Garten und Botanisches Museum Berlin
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Order: Nymphaeales
Family: Nymphaeaceae
Genus: Nymphaea
Species:
N. heudelotii
Binomial name
Nymphaea heudelotii
Planch.[2]
Synonyms[2]
  • Nymphaea baumii Rehnelt & F.Henkel
  • Nymphaea erici-rosenii R.E.Fr.
  • Nymphaea heudelotii var. nana Conard
  • Nymphaea pseudopygmaea Lehm.

Description

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Flowering Nymphaea heudelotii specimen cultivated in the Botanischer Garten und Botanisches Museum Berlin

Vegetative characteristics

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Nymphaea heudelotii is a relatively small species.[3][4][5] It has 1 cm wide, elongate rhizomes.[2] The ovoid to round leaves with an entire margin display reddish colouration on the adaxial surface, as well as red colouration with purple spotting on the abaxial surface. The lobes of the leaf have a rounded apex.[6] The petioles is 20 cm long and slim.[2]

Generative characteristics

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The small blue to white flowers are 3-5 cm wide.[7] The peduncle is 30 cm long and holds the flowers 5 cm above the water surface.[2] The gynoecium consists of 4-10 carpels.[8] The globose fruit bears elliptic-globose, smooth seeds.[6] The flowers have a very sweet fragrance.[2]

Cytology

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The chromosome count is n = 14.[9]

Reproduction

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Vegetative reproduction

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Nymphaea heudelotii has been reported to be viviparous starting from its second year of growth.[10]

Taxonomy

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Publication

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It was first described by Jules Émile Planchon in 1853.[2]

Type specimen

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The type specimen was collected by M. Heudelot in Senegal in 1837. It is part of the collection of the National Museum of Natural History, France.[11]

Conservation

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The IUCN conservation status of Nymphaea heudelotii is Least Concern (LC).[1]

Ecology

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Habitat

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It occurs in small lakes, rivers, wet grass savannahs, riparian forests,[12] and in shallow flowing streams.[8] In shallow ponds within the seasonally wet savanna of Gabon, it occurs sympatrically with Websteria confervoides, Nymphoides forbesiana, Eriocaulon nadjae, and Utricularia benjaminiana.[13] Additionally, at elevations between 1120 and 1200 meters above sea level, this species can be found in small pools within Sphagnum bogs and channels within Papyrus associations close to open water.[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b Diop, F.N. 2020. Nymphaea heudelotii. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T185674A140425959. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T185674A140425959.en. Accessed on 27 December 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Nymphaea heudelotii Planch". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 26 December 2023.
  3. ^ Rybková, R., & Kunte, L. (2023). "Encyklopedie rostlin tropů a subtropů." p. 552. Cpress.
  4. ^ Mueller, K. (1857). "Annales botanices systematicae: 4: Synopsis plantarum Phanerogamicarum novarum omnium per annos 1851, 1852, 1853, 1854, 1855 descriptarum." p. 158. Deutschland: A. Abel.
  5. ^ Wit, H. C. D. d. (1964). "Aquarium Plants." p. 171. Vereinigtes Königreich: Blandford Press.
  6. ^ a b Henkel, F., Rehnelt, F., Dittmann, L. (1907). "Das Buch der Nymphaeaceen oder Seerosengewächse." p. 58. Deutschland: Henkel.
  7. ^ Lóczy, L. (1897). "Resultate der wissenschaftlichen Erforschung des Balatonsees." p. 47. Österreich: In Kommission von E. Hölzel.
  8. ^ a b Conard, H. S. (2015). The Waterlilies: A Monograph of the Genus Nymphaea (Classic Reprint). pp. 147-149. USA: FB&C Limited.
  9. ^ 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.
  10. ^ Nymphaea heudelotii in Global Plants on JSTOR. (n.d.). plants.jstor.org. https://plants.jstor.org/compilation/nymphaea.heudelotii
  11. ^ Type of Nymphaea heudelotii Planch. [family NYMPHAEACEAE]. (n.d.). JSTOR. Retrieved December 27, 2023, from https://plants.jstor.org/stable/10.5555/al.ap.specimen.p00442724
  12. ^ "Biodiversity, Evolution and Biogeography of Plants." p. 93. (2008). Niederlande: Rijksherbarium.
  13. ^ Harris, D. J., Armstrong, K. E., Walters, G. M., Wilks, C., Mbembo, J.-C. M., Niangadouma, R., Wieringa, J. J., & Breteler, F. J. (2012). Phytogeographical analysis and checklist of the vascular plants of Loango National Park, Gabon. Plant Ecology and Evolution, 145(2), 242–257. http://www.jstor.org/stable/43491837