Nymphaea elegans

Nymphaea elegans Hook

Common Names: Blue Water Lily

Family: Nymphaeaceace

Habit: Nymphaea elegans grows as a perennial herb from with a basal rosette of leaves. The leaves are orbicular to 20 cm across with a rounded to acute leaf apex a sinuous margin.

The complete, perfect, actinomorphic flower is solitary and raised above the water surface. The calyx has numerous unfused green sepals. The corolla has numerous unfused light blue/violet petals.  There are numerous stamens.  The ovary is inferior and has numerous locules containing numerous ovules.  The fruit is a many parted capsule at maturity.

Habitat: Nymphaea elegans grows in Fresh Water Wetlands.

Distribution: Nymphaea elegans occurs in the northern island groupings of the Lucayan Archipelago and North America.

Medicinal/Cultural/Economic usage: Nymphaea elegans is not known to be used medicinally in the Lucayan Archipelago.