Nymphaea alba
White water-lily
Nymphaea alba, commonly known as the European white water lily, is a majestic aquatic perennial. Renowned for its striking white blossoms and floating leaves, this plant has long been utilized in traditional herbalism. It possesses calming properties, often studied for its potential to soothe the nervous system and reduce inflammation.
- Scientific name: Nymphaea alba
- Family: Nymphaeaceae
- Native range: Europe
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. It is further classified under the subclass Magnoliidae, the order Nymphaeales, and the family Nymphaeaceae. Finally, its taxonomic placement concludes within the genus Nymphaea.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Nymphaeales | WCVP |
| Family | Nymphaeaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Nymphaea | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Nymphaea alba, is referred to by several different names across various Chinese linguistic contexts. In Simplified Chinese, it is commonly known as 白睡莲 (zh-hans) or 白睡莲 (zh-cn), and similarly as 白睡莲 (zh-sg) in Singapore. In Traditional Chinese, the name is written as 白睡蓮 (zh-hant), while in the Hong Kong dialect, it is identified as 白睡蓮 (zh-hk).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh-hans | 白睡莲 | Wikidata |
| zh-hant | 白睡蓮 | Wikidata |
| zh-hk | 白睡蓮 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 白睡莲 | Wikidata |
| zh-sg | 白睡莲 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 白睡蓮 | Wikidata |
| pl | grzybienie białe | Wikidata |
| fr | Nénuphar blanc | Wikidata |
| he | נימפאה לבנה | Wikidata |
| hu | fehér tündérrózsa | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant is widely distributed across several regions in Northern Europe. It can be found growing in the natural habitats of Denmark. Its presence is also documented throughout the landscapes of Finland. Furthermore, the species is common within the territories of Great Britain and Ireland. Finally, its geographical range extends into the waters of Norway.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Europe | Denmark | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Finland | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Great Britain | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Ireland | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Norway | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Sweden | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Austria | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Belgium | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Czechia-Slovakia | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Germany | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Nymphaea alba, commonly known as the white water lily, is valued in traditional herbalism primarily for the therapeutic properties found within its botanical components. While various parts of the plant may be utilized in different preparations, the flower extract is particularly significant due to the presence of specific alkaloids and flavonoids contained within the petals. This extract is often studied for its potential sedative and calming effects, as the chemical constituents concentrated in the blossoms are believed to assist in soothing the nervous system.- Total parts
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 1
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Flower Extract | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Nymphaea alba has 13 reported phytochemicals identified across 13 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Apigenin, Hyperoside, Isokaempferide, Isoquercetin, Quercetin.
- Total chemicals
- 13
- Scientific sources
- 13
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Apigenin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Hyperoside | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Isokaempferide | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Isoquercetin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Quercetin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Reynoutrin | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ellagic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| flavonoids | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| gallic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| glycosides | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Nymphaea alba has 5 reported medicinal uses identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include cell migration, hepatitis C virus, hypertension, tumor, wound healing.
- Total uses
- 5
- Scientific sources
- 5
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| cell migration | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| hepatitis C virus | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| hypertension | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| tumor | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| wound healing | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |