Nymphaea odorata subsp. tuberosa explained

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.^[1]

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.^[2] The abaxial leaf surface is green or slightly purple.^[3] 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.^[4] 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.^[5]

Cytology

The haploid chromosome count is n = 42.^[6]

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.^[7]

Type specimen

The lectotype was collected by J.A.Paine in Lake Ontario, near Rochester, USA in Aug 1865.^[8]

Position with in Nymphaea

It is placed in Nymphaea subg. Nymphaea.^[9]

Etymology

The subspecific epithet tuberosa, from the Latin tuberosus, means tuberous, or having a tuber.^{[10] [11] [12]}

Ecology

Habitat

It occurs in streams, rivers, ponds, and lakes.

Use

Food

The rhizomes are edible.^[13]

Notes and References

1. 1170779-2 . Nymphaea odorata subsp. tuberosa (Paine) Wiersema & Hellq. . 20 January 2024.
2. Conard, H. S. (2015). The Waterlilies: A Monograph of the Genus Nymphaea (Classic Reprint). pp. 189-192. USA: FB&C Limited.
3. Nymphaea odorata subsp. tuberosa - FNA. (n.d.). Retrieved January 21, 2024, from http://floranorthamerica.org/Nymphaea_odorata_subsp._tuberosa
4. Lahring, H. (2003). "Water and wetland plants of the Prairie Provinces." p. 189. USA: Canadian Plains Research Center, University of Regina.
5. Henkel, F., Rehnelt, F., Dittmann, L. (1907). "Das Buch der Nymphaeaceen oder Seerosengewächse." pp. 81-82. Deutschland: Henkel.
6. 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.
7. 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
8. Nymphaea tuberosa | International Plant Names Index. (n.d.). Retrieved January 21, 2024, from https://www.ipni.org/n/311091-2
9. 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.
10. 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/10.1515/9780691209135-007
11. Singapore Government. (n.d.-b). Ruellia tuberosa. Flora Fauna Web. Retrieved January 21, 2024, from https://www.nparks.gov.sg/florafaunaweb/flora/2/4/2404
12. Vigna tuberosa | CasaBio. (n.d.). Retrieved January 21, 2024, from https://casabio.org/taxa/vigna-tuberosa
13. Lim, T. K. (2016). "Edible Medicinal and Non-Medicinal Plants: Volume 11 Modified Stems, Roots, Bulbs." p. 8. Deutschland: Springer International Publishing.