Nymphaea odorata (USA)

Nymphaea odorata Aiton, Hort. kew. 2:227. 1789 (Syn: (=) Castalia lekophylla Small; (=) Castalia minor (Sims) Nyár.; (≡) Castalia odorata (Aiton) Wood; (=) Castalia odorata var. latifolia R. M. Harper; (=) Castalia pringlei Rose; (=) Castalia pudica Salisb.; (=) Castalia reniformis (Walter) Hitchc.; (=) Castalia spirilis (Raf.) Cockerell; (≡) Leuconymphaea odorata (Aiton) Kuntze; (=) Leuconymphaea parkeriana (Lehm.) Kuntze; (=) Leuconymphaea reniformis (Walter) Kuntze; (=) Nymphaea lekophylla (Small) Cory; (=) Nymphaea minor (Sims) DC.; (=) Nymphaea odorata var. chlorhiza Raf.; (=) Nymphaea odorata var. gigantea Tricker; (=) Nymphaea odorata var. glabra Casp.; (=) Nymphaea odorata var. godfreyi D. B. Ward; (=) Nymphaea odorata var. minor Sims; (=) Nymphaea odorata var. parviflora Raf.; (=) Nymphaea odorata var. rosea Pursh; (=) Nymphaea odorata var. rubella Raf.; (=) Nymphaea odorata f. rubra (Guillon) Conard; (=) Nymphaea odorata var. stenopetala Fernald; (=) Nymphaea odorata [unranked] rubra Guillon; (=) Nymphaea odorata var. villosa Casp.; (=) Nymphaea parkeriana Lehm.; (=) Nymphaea reniformis Walter; (=) Nymphaea spirilis Raf.);
Alaska, USA (Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut,
District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois,
Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan,
Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, Nebraska, New
Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon,
Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas,
Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington State, Wisconsin, West Virginia), Canada
(British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ontario,
Prince Edward Isl., Quebec, Saskatchewan), Puerto Rico, Cuba, Bahamas,
Nicaragua, Taiwan (introduced), Guyana, Surinam, Mexico (Ciudad de Mexico,
Durango, Hidalgo, Mexico State, Michoacan, Veracruz), Brazil (introduced) as per Catalogue of Life;
 

Nymphaea odorata, also known as the Fragrant Water Lily and Beaver Root, 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.[1][2][3][4] It is also reported from Brazil and Guyana.[5][6] 

This plant is rooted from a branched rhizomes which gives rise to long petioles which 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.[7] 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.[8]
Plant systematists often use it as a typical member of Nymphaeaceae, which (other than Amborella) is the most basal of the flowering plants.[9]It is cultivated in aquatic gardens as an ornamental plant. It is invasive and weedy on the west coast of North America.
The Fragrant Water-Lily has both medicinal and edible parts. The seeds, leaves, flowers and rhizomes can all be eaten. The rhizomes were also used by first nations to treat coughs and colds. The stem could be used to treat tooth aches if placed directly on the tooth.[10] 
(From Wikipedia on 29.10.14)
 

 

Nymphaea odorata Aiton, Hort. Kew. 2: 227. 1789.
Photographed from University of California Botanical Garden and SFO Botanical Garden, California.
Plant with pink flowers

nice but i hope you did not put your fingers in the h2o
small water snakes are said not be venomous but one never knows

Yes … This small water snake was sitting on the leaf, giving me enough time to click it. This is not the first time. During my research days in 1971-74 I saw a number of water snakes (regular size, some more than a m long in my research area which had a water reservoir at the base of foothill (the source of city water supply) in Harwan Kashmir. One day I went for data sampling (phytosociology) early morning when I saw three snakes within a span of 10 minutes in the adjacent park, enough for me to call it a day. 

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Menispermaceae, Berberidaceae, Nymphaeaceae and Nelumbonaceae Fortnight: Nymphaeaceae-Nymphaea odorata from California with white flowers-GSOCT18 : 4 posts by 2 authors. Attachments (1).

Nymphaea odorata Aiton, Hort. Kew. 2: 227. 1789.
Photographed from SFO Botanical Garden, California.
Plant with white flowers.

what separates odorata from pubescens?

Sharp marginal teeth in N. pubescens, larger leaves (upto 50 cm broad), leaves hairy beneath, flowers opening in evening

Leaves with entire margin, up to 30 cm broad in N. odorata, leaves glabrous beneath, flowers fragrant, 8-12 cm across, opening forenoon for 3 days

thank you

often by the time we arrive to take pictures and we are far off no scent is wafting our way…

and time of opening of the flowers remains a mystery esp. we are just visiting a place for a day…

but the leaves edges must be relied on it seems

under surface also can not be accessed in botanical gardens or private gardens nurseries for the sake of politeness or rules.. so back to leaf margin..

it means take better pictures of the margins and take any upturned leaf, and not just photograph the lilies for sake of beauty…

 
 

 

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