Nymphaea nouchali Burm.f.

Taxonomy: Plantae > Tracheophyta > Magnoliopsida > Nymphaeales > Nymphaeaceae > Nymphaea > N. nouchali

Description: Rhizomatous auatic herbs. Rhizomes often producing long runners. Leaves alternate, elliptic or orbicular, elliptic-sagitate when young, entire or irregularly sinuate at margin, rounded-acute at apex, reddish purple beneath; main nerves 7-15, palmate; midnerve grooved above, prominently angled beneath; secondary nerves 4-7 pairs, slightly grooved above; petioles terete, 2-5 mm thick, glabrous. Flowers 6-14 cm across, slightly fragrant. Sepals lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, obtuse, green, streaked purple outside. Petals 8-15, elliptic-lanceolate. Stamens 20-60, yellow; outer ones 1.5-2.5 cm long; the inner shorter; connective appendages 1.5-3 mm long; anthers 0.5-1.5 cm long. Ovary urceolate, sunken, 10-20 loculed; ovules numerous on superficial placentae; stigmas 8-20, radiating, connate at base. Fruits globose, 1.5-3.5 cm, with remnants of sepals, petals and stamens; seeds ellipsoid-globose, 8-10 mm long, vertically fine-lined, ciliate on ribs, becoming glabrate with growth of aril.

Flowering and Fruiting : Throughout the year

Uses : Rhizome and peduncles are eaten as vegetable. Fried seeds are edible. Used in ayurvedic and folk medicine. Laboratory studies show, it has good antibacterial potential.System Of Medicines Used In Ayurveda, Folk medicine.It is used as an ornamental plant because of its spectacular flowers. Much used in Ayurvedic preparations.Fruit, leaf petiole and roots are eaten cooked as vegetable. Seeds are eaten raw or roasted.

Cultivation : Cultivated, Ornamental

References

http://www.plantsoftheworldonline.org

https://indiabiodiversity.org