Nymphaea odorata subsp. tuberosa is a subspecies of Nymphaea odorata native to the region spanning from Central and Eastern Canada, extending to North Central and Northeastern United States.
Description
Vegetative characteristics Nymphaea odorata subsp. tuberosa has horizontal, tuberous, branched, 30-80 cm long, and 2-5 cm wide rhizomes. The leaves of mature plants float on the water, or extend 2-7 cm above the surface. The petiolate, orbicular leaves are 12-38 cm wide.Conard, H. S. (2015). The Waterlilies: A Monograph of the Genus Nymphaea (Classic Reprint). pp. 189-192. USA: FB&C Limited. The abaxial leaf surface is green or slightly purple.Nymphaea odorata subsp. tuberosa - FNA. (n.d.). Retrieved January 21, 2024, from http://floranorthamerica.org/Nymphaea_odorata_subsp._tuberosa The petiole has brown to purple stripes. It has four primary central, and twelve secondary peripheral air canals. Generative characteristics The 10-23 cm wide flowers emerge 10-15 cm above the water surface. They have green, terete, 30-200 cm long, and 0.5-0.9 cm wide peduncles. The peduncles have red to brown stripes.Lahring, H. (2003). "Water and wetland plants of the Prairie Provinces." p. 189. USA: Canadian Plains Research Center, University of Regina. The flowers have four sepals with a rounded apex. The white, obovate to spatulate petals have a rounded apex. The gynoecium consists of 14 carpels. The globose, 2.2 cm long, and 3.2 cm wide fruit bears 2.8-4.5 mm long seeds. The flowers are inodorous, or only very faintly fragrant.Henkel, F., Rehnelt, F., Dittmann, L. (1907). "Das Buch der Nymphaeaceen oder Seerosengewächse." pp. 81-82. Deutschland: Henkel.
Cytology The haploid chromosome count is n = 42.Chen, F., Liu, X., Yu, C., Chen, Y., Tang, H., & Zhang, L. (2017). "Water lilies as emerging models for Darwin’s abominable mystery." Horticulture research, 4.
Reproduction Vegetative reproduction It can reproduce vegetatively by detached rhizomes. Generative reproduction Flowering occurs in late spring to summer. Fruiting occurs from July to October.
Taxonomy Publication It was described as Nymphaea tuberosa Paine by John Alsop Paine in 1865. Later, it was included in the species Nymphaea odorata Aiton as the subspecies Nymphaea odorata subsp. tuberosa (Paine) Wiersema & Hellq. published by John Harry Wiersema & Carl Barre Hellquist in 1994.Wiersema, J. H., & Hellquist, C. B. (1994). NOMENCLATURAL NOTES IN NYMPHAEACEAE FOR THE NORTH AMERICAN FLORA. Rhodora, 96(886), 170–178. http://www.jstor.org/stable/23313084
Type specimen The lectotype was collected by J.A.Paine in Lake Ontario, near Rochester, USA in Aug 1865.Nymphaea tuberosa | International Plant Names Index. (n.d.). Retrieved January 21, 2024, from https://www.ipni.org/n/311091-2 Position with in Nymphaea It is placed in Nymphaea subg. Nymphaea.Woods, K., Hilu, K. W., Wiersema, J. H., & Borsch, T. (2005). "Pattern of variation and systematics of Nymphaea odorata: I. Evidence from morphology and inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSRs)." Systematic Botany, 30(3), 471-480.
Etymology The subspecific epithet tuberosa, from the Latin tuberosus, means tuberous, or having a tuber.Bayton, R. (2020). Practical Uses of Botanical Latin. In The Gardener's Botanical: An Encyclopedia of Latin Plant Names - with More than 5,000 Entries (pp. 22-318). Princeton: Princeton University Press. https://doi.org/10.1515/9780691209135-007Singapore Government. (n.d.-b). Ruellia tuberosa. Flora Fauna Web. Retrieved January 21, 2024, from https://www.nparks.gov.sg/florafaunaweb/flora/2/4/2404Vigna tuberosa | CasaBio. (n.d.). Retrieved January 21, 2024, from https://casabio.org/taxa/vigna-tuberosa
Ecology Habitat It occurs in streams, rivers, ponds, and lakes.
Use Food The rhizomes are edible.Lim, T. K. (2016). "Edible Medicinal and Non-Medicinal Plants: Volume 11 Modified Stems, Roots, Bulbs." p. 8. Deutschland: Springer International Publishing.
References