Nymphaea stuhlmannii

Nymphaea stuhlmannii is a species of waterlily endemic to Tanzania.^[2]

Nymphaea stuhlmannii
Botanical illustration of Nymphaea stuhlmannii in the publication "The waterlilies: a monograph of the genus Nymphaea" by Henry Shoemaker Conard
Conservation status
Endangered  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Order:	Nymphaeales
Family:	Nymphaeaceae
Genus:	Nymphaea
Subgenus:	Nymphaea subg. Brachyceras
Species:	N. stuhlmannii
Binomial name
Nymphaea stuhlmannii (Engl.) Schweinf. & Gilg[2]
Nymphaea stuhlmannii is endemic to Tanzania
Synonyms[2]
Nymphaea lotus var. stuhlmannii Engl. Nymphaea burttii Pring & Woodson Nymphaea citrina Peter Nymphaea holoxantha Peter

Description

Vegetative characteristics

Nymphaea stuhlmannii is an aquatic herb with 5–12 cm long, 3–4 cm wide, globose to ovoid, blackish brown rhizomes and white, long roots.^[2] The 25.5 cm long, 21 cm wide, petiolate, ovate-orbicular leaves have an entire margin. The venation is prominent.^[3]

Generative characteristics

The fragrant flowers are 10-15 cm wide.^[3] They are yellow.^[4] The four sepals are obovate. The 22 petals are broadly obovate. The androecium consists of 125 stamens. The gynoecium consists of 23 carpels.^[3] The 3–4.5 cm long, and 4–6 cm wide fruit bears numerous ovoid 0.7–1 mm long, and 0.5–0.75 mm wide seeds.^[2]

Taxonomy

Publication

It was first described by Adolf Engler as Nymphaea lotus var. stuhlmannii Engl. in 1895. Later, it was elevated to the status of a separate species Nymphaea stuhlmannii (Engl.) Schweinf. & Gilg by Georg August Schweinfurth and Ernest Friedrich Gilg in 1903.^[2]

Type specimen

The type specimen was collected by Franz Ludwig Stuhlmann (1863-1928) in Uniamweni, Gunda mkali, close to Bibisande, Africa at 1200 m above sea level on the 16th of July 1890.^[3]

Etymology

The specific epithet stuhlmannii honours Stuhlmann, who collected the type specimen.

Conservation

It is an endangered species (EN).^[1] It was feared to be extinct.^[5]

Ecology

Habitat

Nymphaea stuhlmannii occurs in shallow pools subject to seasonal droughts at an elevation of 1140 m above sea level. The rhizomes are exposed on the surface during the dry season.^[2]