Nymphaea × thiona explained

Nymphaea × thiona is a species of waterlily native to the US-American states Alabama, Florida, and Georgia. Additionally, it has been introduced to Costa Rica, as well as the US-American states Kentucky, and Nevada. It is a natural hybrid of Nymphaea mexicana and Nymphaea odorata.^[1]

Description

Vegetative characteristics

It exhibits more vigorous growth than its parent species.^[2]

Generative characteristics

The flowers extend above the water surface. The flowers are larger than flowers of Nymphaea mexicana, and more yellow than Nymphaea odorata flowers. Fruits are unknown.

Reproduction

Generative reproduction

It is a sterile hybrid. Fruits have never been observed.^{[3] [4]}

Taxonomy

Publication

It was first described by Daniel Bertram Ward in 1977.

Type specimen

Type specimen was collected by C. Hoy in drainage canals of marshes in St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, in Wakulla County, Florida, USA on the 15th of April 1962.^[5]

Etymology

The specific epithet thiona expresses an association to the name Sulphur Waterlily.

Ecology

Habitat

It exists only in areas of sympatric occurrence of the two parent species.

Cultivation

It is also known from artificial, horticultural hybridisation.

Notes and References

1. 605725-1 . Nymphaea × thiona D.B.Ward . 28 December 2023.
2. Nymphaea mexicana in Global Plants on JSTOR. (n.d.). plants.jstor.org. https://plants.jstor.org/compilation/Nymphaea.mexicana
3. Ward, D. B. (1977). Keys to the Flora of Florida -- 4, Nymphaea (Nymphaeaceae). Phytologia, 37(1), 443–448. http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/openurl?ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft.date=1977&rft.issue=5&rft.spage=445&rft.volume=37&rft_id=http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/12678&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:book&url_ver=z39.88-2004
4. Sutton, D. L. (1993). Water-lilies of Florida. TropicLine, 6(6). https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/document?repid=rep1&type=pdf&doi=d2da0045ae3990527c36c3bcb42157893dde7f11
5. Holotype of Nymphaea thiona D. B. Ward [family NYMPHAEACEAE]. (n.d.). JSTOR. Retrieved December 28, 2023, from https://plants.jstor.org/stable/10.5555/al.ap.specimen.gh00038038