Nymphaea lukei

Nymphaea lukei is a species of waterlily endemic to Western Australia.^[1]

Nymphaea lukei
Nymphaea lukei in cultivation at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Order:	Nymphaeales
Family:	Nymphaeaceae
Genus:	Nymphaea
Subgenus:	Nymphaea subg. Anecphya
Species:	N. lukei
Binomial name
Nymphaea lukei S.W.L.Jacobs & Hellq.[1]
Nymphaea lukei is endemic to Western Australia[1]

Description

Vegetative characteristics

Nymphaea lukei is an annual or perennial aquatic plant with globose, 2-2.5 cm wide rhizomes. The elliptic, petiolate, 9.7–28 long, and 7.2–25 wide leaves have a sinuate margin.^[2]

Generative characteristics

The fragrant flowers extend up to 30 cm above the water surface. The green sepals with blue margins towards the acute apex are 3.5–6.5 cm long, and 0.5–2.5 cm wide. The 15-30 white to blue, lanceolate petals are 3–6 cm long, and 1.3–2 cm wide. The androecium consists of 75–250 yellow stamens. The gynoecium consists of 16–30 carpels. The globose, 1.5–3 cm long, and 1.5–2.5 cm wide fruit bears elongated, 2.1–2.5 mm long, and 1.8–1.9 mm wide seeds with 0.03–0.06 mm long trichomes, and verrucose projections.^[2]

Reproduction

Generative reproduction

Flowering occurs towards the end of the wet season, and continues within the dry season.^[2]

Taxonomy

Publication

It was first described by Surrey Wilfrid Laurance Jacobs and Carl Barre Hellquist in 2011.^[1]

Type specimen

The type specimen was collected by S. Jacobs in Dampier, Western Australia on the 2nd of May 2008.^[2]

Placement within Nymphaea

It is placed in Nymphaea subgenus Confluentes.^[3][2]

Etymology

The specific epithet lukei is named after Luke Jaden Fussell, the grandson of Surrey Wilfrid Laurance Jacobs.^[2]

Ecology

Habitat

It occurs in pools, creeks, and rivers.^[2]