Nymphaeaceae
| Nymphaeaceae Fossil range: 130 Ma Early Cretaceous - Recent |
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 Water Lily with Flower
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Nymphaeaceae is a name for a family of flowering plants. Members of this family are commonly called water lilies and live in freshwater areas in temperate and tropical climates around the world. The family contains 8 genera. There are about 70 species of water lilies around the world[1]. The genus Nymphaea contains about 35 species across the Northern Hemisphere[1]. The genus Victoria contains two species of giant water lilies and can be found in South America[1]. Water lilies are rooted in soil in bodies of water, with leaves and flowers floating on the water surface. The leaves are round, with a radial notch in Nymphaea and Nuphar, but fully circular in Victoria.
Water lilies are divided into two main categories: hardy and tropical. Hardy water lilies bloom only during the day, but tropical water lilies can bloom either day or night, and are the only group to contain blue-flowered plants.
Water lilies can be fragrant, such as Nymphaea odorata.
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Classification
The genus Barclaya is sometimes given rank as its own family Barclayaceae on the basis of an extended perianth tube (combined sepals and petals) arising from the top of the ovary and by stamens that are joined basally. But recent work lends weight to placing it in the Nymphaeaceae.
In the past Nymphaeaceae often have been treated to include Cabombaceae but this is often treated as a separate family in the same order (Nymphaeales). The sacred lotus family Nelumbonaceae was once thought to be a water lily, but is now recognized to be a highly modified eudicot in the order Proteales. The order Nymphaeales is a lineage separate from monocots or eudicots.
The current phylogenetic placement is:
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As Invasive Species
The beautiful nature of water lilies has led to their widespread use as ornamental plants. The Mexican water lily, native to the gulf coast of North America, is planted throughout the continent. It has escaped from cultivation and become invasive in some areas, such as California's San Joaquin Valley. It can infest slow moving bodies of water and is difficult to eradicate. Populations can be controlled by cutting top growth. Herbicides can also be used to control populations using glyphosate and fluridone [2].
Symbolism
The white water lily is the national flower of Bangladesh. It is also the birth flower for July.
In Visual Arts
Water lilies were depicted by the French artist Claude Monet in a series of paintings.
Gallery
See also
- Nelumbo
- Pond
- Pamplemousses Botanical Garden, famous for its giant water lilies
References
- The genera of the Nymphaeaceae and Ceratophyllaceae in the southeastern United States. J. Arnold Arbor. 40: 94-112.
- Perry D. Slocum: Waterlilies and Lotuses. Timber Press 2005, ISBN 0881926841 (restricted online version at Google Books)
External links
- NCBI Taxonomy Browser
- Phylogenetic analysis of the order Nymphaeales based on the nucleotide sequences of the chloroplast
- Flora of North America
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