Habit: Nymphaea elegans grows as a perennial herb from with a basal rosette of leaves that float at the waters surface. 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.