Nymphaea colorata

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Classis: Unassigned
Ordo: Nymphaeales

Familia: Nymphaeaceae
Genus: Nymphaea
Subgenus: N. subg. Brachyceras
Species: Nymphaea colorata
Name

Nymphaea elegans Peter (1928)
Synonyms

Heterotypic
Nymphaea colorata var. parviflora Peter, Abh. Königl. Ges. Wiss. Göttingen, Math.-Phys. Kl. ser. 2, 13(2):58, 70. 1928.

Note:

This species is widely accepted in the horticultural literature, but sometimes regarded as a part of the natural variation within Nymphaea nouchali, Nymphaea capensis or Nymphaea caerulea, depending on view.
References

Peter 1928. Abh. Königl. Ges. Wiss. Göttingen, Math.-Phys. Kl. ser. 2, 13(2):58, 68, t. 16A, fig. 10.
USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN) [Online Database]. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. [1] (24 November 2010)

Nymphaea colorata is a water lily that is native to tropical East Africa. It was first described by A. Peter in 1928.
Description

Nymphaea colorata is day blooming and nonviviparous plant. Its flower has dark blue to violet color and consists of 4-5 sepals and 13-15 petals. The shape is cup-like with a diameter of 11–14 cm. The round leaves are green on the top and have bluish-violet underside. Their size is about 20–23 cm and their spread is 0.9 to 1.8m
Usage

Nymphaea colorata is used as an ornamental flower and has the advantage of having a long flowering period. In addition it even keeps flowering when the temperatures drops to 18 C. It has been used to create several cultivars and hybrids.
References

Perry D. Slocum: Waterlilies and Lotuses. Timber Press 2005, ISBN 0-88192-684-1 (restricted online version at Google Books)
Fact sheet for the Nymphaea colorata