''Nymphaea odorata'', also known as the American white waterlily, fragrant water-lily,
beaver root, fragrant white water lily, white water lily, sweet-scented white water lily, and sweet-scented water lily,
is an
aquatic plant
Aquatic plants are plants that have adapted to living in aquatic environments (saltwater or freshwater). They are also referred to as hydrophytes or macrophytes to distinguish them from algae and other microphytes. A macrophyte is a plant that ...
belonging to the genus ''
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 introduc ...
''. It can commonly be found in shallow lakes, ponds, and permanent slow moving waters throughout
North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...
where it ranges from
Central America
Central America ( es, América Central or ) is a subregion of the Americas. Its boundaries are defined as bordering the United States to the north, Colombia to the south, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. ...
to northern
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
. It is also reported from
Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
and
Guyana
Guyana ( or ), officially the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, is a country on the northern mainland of South America. Guyana is an indigenous word which means "Land of Many Waters". The capital city is Georgetown. Guyana is bordered by the ...
.
Description
This plant is rooted from a branched
rhizome
In botany and dendrology, a rhizome (; , ) is a modified subterranean plant stem that sends out roots and shoots from its nodes. Rhizomes are also called creeping rootstalks or just rootstalks. Rhizomes develop from axillary buds and grow hori ...
s which gives rise to long
petioles which terminate in smooth floating leaves. Since the leaves are subject to tearing by water and waves, they are round with a waxy upper coating that is water-repellent. The flowers also float. They are radially symmetric with prominent yellow
stamen
The stamen (plural ''stamina'' or ''stamens'') is the pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower. Collectively the stamens form the androecium., p. 10
Morphology and terminology
A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filame ...
s and many white petals. The flowers open each day and close again each night and are very fragrant. Once the flowers are pollinated, the developing fruit is pulled back under water for maturation.
Plant systematists often use it as a typical member of
Nymphaeaceae
Nymphaeaceae () is a family of flowering plants, commonly called water lilies. They live as rhizomatous aquatic herbs in temperate and tropical climates around the world. The family contains nine genera with about 70 known species. Water li ...
, which (other than
Amborella
''Amborella'' is a monotypic genus of understory shrubs or small trees endemic to the main island, Grande Terre, of New Caledonia in the southwest Pacific Ocean. The genus is the only member of the family Amborellaceae and the order Amborellale ...
) is the most basal of the flowering plants.
It is cultivated in aquatic gardens as an
ornamental plant
Ornamental plants or garden plants are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars that i ...
.
Chemistry
The
lignans
The lignans are a large group of low molecular weight polyphenols found in plants, particularly seeds, whole grains, and vegetables. The name derives from the Latin word for "wood". Lignans are precursors to phytoestrogens. They may play a role ...
nymphaeoside A and
icariside E, and the flavonols kaempferol 3-O-alpha-l-rhamnopyranoside (
afzelin), quercetin 3-O-alpha-l-rhamnopyranoside (
quercitrin
Quercitrin is a glycoside formed from the flavonoid quercetin and the deoxy sugar rhamnose.
Austrian chemist Heinrich Hlasiwetz (1825-1875) is remembered for his chemical analysis of quercitrin.
Occurrence
Quercitrin is a constituent of the d ...
), myricetin 3-O-alpha-l-rhamnopyranoside (
myricitrin
Myricitrin is a plant compound, the 3-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside of myricetin.
Occurrences
It can be isolated from the root bark of ''Myrica cerifera'' (Bayberry, a small tree native to North America), in '' Myrica esculenta'', in '' Nymphaea lotus ...
),
quercetin 3-O-(6'-O-acetyl)-beta-d-galactopyranoside
Quercetin is a plant flavonol from the flavonoid group of polyphenols. It is found in many fruits, vegetables, leaves, seeds, and grains; capers, red onions, and kale are common foods containing appreciable amounts of it. It has a bitter flavor ...
,
myricetin 3-O-beta-d-galactopyranoside
Myricetin is a member of the flavonoid class of polyphenolic compounds, with antioxidant properties. Common dietary sources include vegetables (including tomatoes), fruits (including oranges), nuts, berries, tea, and red wine. Myricetin is struct ...
and
myricetin 3-O-(6'-O-acetyl)-beta-d-galactopyranoside can be found in ''N. odorata''.
Subspecies
* ''Nymphaea odorata'' subsp. ''odorata''
* ''Nymphaea odorata'' subsp. ''tuberosa''
Uses
The fragrant water-lily has both medicinal and edible parts. The seeds, flowers and rhizomes can all be eaten raw or cooked.
The root can be boiled to produce a liquid which can be gargled to treat sore throats or drunk to treat diarrhea.
The rhizomes were also used by Native Americans to treat coughs and colds. The stem can be placed directly on teeth to treat a toothache.
The muck-submerged stems are eaten by
muskrat
The muskrat (''Ondatra zibethicus'') is a medium-sized semiaquatic rodent native to North America and an introduced species in parts of Europe, Asia, and South America. The muskrat is found in wetlands over a wide range of climates and habitat ...
s.
References
External links
Jepson Manual Treatment
{{Taxonbar, from=Q635853
odorata
Flora of North America
Flora of South America
Freshwater plants