Star lotus

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Blue Lotus
• Sada shapla
• Cape Blue Waterlily
• Cape Water Lily
• Day Waterlily
• Red and Blue Waterlily

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, Nymphaea nouchali, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. It is classified under the class Equisetopsida and the subclass Magnoliidae, following the order Nymphaeaales. Within its taxonomic hierarchy, it is a member of the family Nymphaeaceae and the genus Nymphaea.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific geographical range spanning across several regions of the African continent. In Northern Africa, its presence is documented within the borders of Egypt. Moving toward the center of the continent, it is widely distributed throughout West-Central Tropical Africa. Specifically, it can be found in the nations of Burundi, Congo, and Rwanda. Furthermore, its distribution extends into the vast territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Nymphaea nouchali is characterized by its preference for diverse aquatic environments, specifically inhabiting lowland streams, ponds situated on granite rocks, and various types of waterholes. This species exhibits a broad altitudinal distribution, thriving in habitats ranging from low elevations of 10 m AMSL up to a maximum elevation of 1650 m AMSL.

Elevational range max:

1650 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

10 m AMSL

Habitat :

lowland streams, also ponds on granite rocks, waterholes

Life history

The life history of Nymphaea nouchali is characterized by a perennial lifecycle, allowing the plant to persist through multiple growing seasons. It functions as a hydrophyte, specifically adapted to aquatic environments where its structures are submerged or floating on the water's surface. Additionally, its biological classification includes a cryptophyte life form, indicating that its perennating buds are protected underground or beneath the water/substrate, ensuring survival during unfavorable environmental conditions.

Life form :

hydrophyte

Life form :

cryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Nymphaea nouchali is characterized by its specialized aquatic habit, existing strictly as an aquatic plant adapted to life in lentic ecosystems. As a non-woody organism, it lacks any lignified structural tissue, exhibiting a soft, herbaceous composition. Its growth form is classified as a herb, specifically categorized as a forb, which manifests through its distinctively shaped leaves and floral structures. The plant is entirely self-supporting, requiring no climbing mechanisms such as lianas or vines to maintain its position, nor does it exhibit any climbing tendencies. Furthermore, it is a terrestrial-based aquatic species in terms of its ecological niche relative to epiphytic life, functioning as an independent organism that does not rely on host plants through parasitic or epiphytic behaviors.

Aquatic :

aquatic

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Nymphaea nouchali is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, a common metabolic adaptation in aquatic vegetation that facilitates carbon fixation under varying light and temperature conditions. The plant's vegetative morphology is defined by its expansive leaf structures, which exhibit significant dimensional variability; the leaf width ranges from a minimum of 7 cm to a maximum of 40 cm, while the leaf length varies from a minimum of 7 cm to a mean of 10 cm, reaching a maximum potential of 40 cm. Furthermore, the plant does not function as a nitrogen fixer, relying instead on the absorption of nutrients directly from its aquatic environment rather than through symbiotic nitrogen-fixing processes.

Leaf length max:

40 cm

Leaf length mean:

10 cm

Leaf length min:

7 cm

Leaf width max:

40 cm

Leaf width min:

7 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Nymphaea nouchali is characterized by a complex biological cycle involving specific flowering patterns and specialized dispersal mechanisms. The flowering period is highly flexible, with blooming occurring throughout nearly the entire year from December through November, though the exact timing remains variable. The flowers themselves exhibit a specific size range, with lengths documented between 3 cm and 1.5 cm. In terms of pollination, the plant relies on biotic syndromes, specifically utilizing insects as its primary pollinators to facilitate fertilization. Once fertilization is successful, the plant produces seeds that are remarkably uniform in size, maintaining a consistent seed mass of approximately 0.00128 g (with both minimum and maximum values recorded at this level). The subsequent dispersal of these seeds follows a hydrochorous syndrome, meaning they are dispersed via water, which is an essential mechanism for the colonization of new aquatic habitats.

Dispersal syndrome :

hydrochorous

Flower length max:

1.5 cm

Flower length min:

3 cm

Flowering time :

Dec

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Seed mass mean:

0.00128 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Nymphaea nouchali has 7 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include 3,4,8,9,10-pentahydroxy dibenzo[b,d]pyran-6-one, Anthocyanins, Corilagin, Flavonoids, Shoyuflavone C.

3,4,8,9,10-pentahydroxy dibenzo[b,d]pyran-6-one

1. Scientific reports

Anthocyanins

1. Scientific reports

Corilagin

1. Scientific reports

Flavonoids

1. Scientific reports

Shoyuflavone C

1. Scientific reports

ellagic acid

1. Scientific reports

naringenin

1. Scientific reports

Activities

Nymphaea nouchali has 1 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant.

Antioxidant

1. Scientific reports

Medicinal Uses

Nymphaea nouchali has 4 reported medicinal uses identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include MDA-MB 231 cells, cholinesterase, hyperpigmentation, tumor.

Most Reported Uses