Nymphaea

Nymphaea () is a genus of hardy and tender aquatic plants in the family Nymphaeaceae. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution. Many species are cultivated as ornamental plants, and many cultivars have been bred. Some taxa occur as introduced species where they are not native, and some are weeds. Plants of the genus are known commonly as water lilies, or waterlilies in the United Kingdom.

==Description== thumb|A bright-field microscopy|bright-field [[micrograph of a cross-section of a floating leaf of Nymphaea alba.]] thumb|right|Complete specimen of Nymphaea gardneriana|Nymphaea cf. gardneriana Planch. with several floating leaves, as well as submerged leaves with scale bar (50 cm) on a white background thumb|Complete specimen of Nymphaea nouchali var. caerulea|Nymphaea nouchali var. caerulea (Savigny) Verdc. with scale bar (50 cm) on a white background thumb|right|Rhizome of Nymphaea gigantea "Albert De Lestang" with scale bar (5 cm) against a grey background thumb|right|Seeds of Nymphaea alba with scale bar (3 mm) against a grey background thumb|right|Halved Nymphaea alba fruit with scale bar (20 mm) against a dark background thumb|right|Longitudinal section of Nymphaea alba flower with scale bar (20 mm) against a dark backgroundS = sepals, P = petals, St = stamina, An = anthers, O = ovary, SD = stigma disc, CT = carpellary teeth thumb|Proliferating pseudanthium or tubiferous flower of Nymphaea prolifera Wiersema thumb|right|Nymphaea lotus leaf with scale bar (5 cm)Upper surface (left) and lower surface (right)