Nymphaea nouchali var. petersiana is a variety of the water lily species Nymphaea nouchali Burm.f. native to the region spanning from Tanzania to South Africa.[1]
Nymphaea nouchali var. petersiana is an aquatic, rhizomatous, perennial plant. The leaves are suborbicular to elliptic. The adaxial leaf surface is green and smooth, and the abaxial leaf surface is purple, red, or green with prominent venation.
The 6-12 cm wide, blue, white, or pink flowers emerge above the water surface. The flowers have four petals, and 14-20 petals. The androecium consists of 100 stamens.
It was first described as Nymphaea petersiana Klotzsch by Johann Friedrich Klotzsch in 1861. Later, it was included in the species Nymphaea nouchali Burm.f. as the variety Nymphaea nouchali var. petersiana (Klotzsch) Verdc. published by Bernard Verdcourt in 1989.
The varietal name petersiana honours Wilhelm Peters (1815-1883).[2] [3]
It occurs in pools, rivers, and lakes.
The rhizomes are eaten in Malawi.[4]