Nymphaea guineensis is a species of waterlily native to the region spanning from tropical West Africa to Chad.[2]

Nymphaea guineensis
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Order: Nymphaeales
Family: Nymphaeaceae
Genus: Nymphaea
Species:
N. guineensis
Binomial name
Nymphaea guineensis
Schumach. & Thonn.[2]
Synonyms[2]
  • Nymphaea abbreviata Guill. & Perr.
  • Nymphaea rufescens Guill. & Perr.

Description

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Vegetative characteristics

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The leaves are 22 cm long, and 19 cm wide.[3] The leaves have an entire margin.[4] The abaxial leaf surface displays reddish colouration.[5][3]

Generative characteristics

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The flowers are 13 cm wide. The petals are purple and pointed.[3] The globose, smooth fruit bears numerous subglobose, arillate seeds.[5]

Taxonomy

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Publication

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It was first described by Heinrich Christian Friedrich Schumacher and Peter Thonning in 1827.[2]

Type specimen

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The type specimen was collected by Thonning in Ghana. Insects have damaged the preserved specimen.[6]

Placement within Nymphaea

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It is placed in Nymphaea subgenus Brachyceras.[7]

Etymology

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The specific epithet guineensis means "from Guinea".[8]

Conservation

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The IUCN conservation status is least concern (LC).[1]

Ecology

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Habitat

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In Togo, Nymphaea guineensis occurs in ponds.[9] In Nigeria, it has been observed in temporary, shallow, bright, aquatic habitats, which are less than 50 cm deep, and dry out in between the rainy seasons.[10] In Chad, it has also been observed in deep waters.[11] In North Chad, a prosperous population has been observed in a semi-desert region.[12]

In the Ivory Coast, the cooked seeds are eaten.[13]

References

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  1. ^ a b Diop, F.N. 2020. Nymphaea guineensis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T140427197A140427260. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T140427197A140427260.en. Accessed on 04 January 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d "Nymphaea guineensis Schumach. & Thonn". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  3. ^ a b c Jones, M. (1994). "Flowering plants of the Gambia." p. 21. CRC Press.
  4. ^ Gillet, H. (1962). "Végétation, agriculture et sol du Centre Tchad. Feuilles de Mongo-Melfi-Bokoro-Guera." Journal d'agriculture traditionnelle et de botanique appliquée, 9(11), 451-501.
  5. ^ a b Schumacher, H. C. F. (1827). Beskrivelse af Guineeiske Planter som ere fundne af dankse Botanikere, især af Etatsraad Thonning. pp. 248-249. http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/openurl?ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft.date=1827&rft.spage=248&rft_id=http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/51454&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:book&url_ver=z39.88-2004
  6. ^ Hepper, F. N. (1972). Tropical African Plants: XXXI. Kew Bulletin, 26(3), 563–568. https://doi.org/10.2307/4120319
  7. ^ Borsch, T., Loehne, C., Mbaye, M. S., & Wiersema, J. (2011). "Towards a complete species tree of Nymphaea: shedding further light on subg. Brachyceras and its relationships to the Australian water-lilies." Telopea, 13(1-2), 193-217.
  8. ^ Cheek, M., Haba, P. M., Konomou, G., & Van Der Burgt, X. M. (2019). "Ternstroemia guineensis (Ternstroemiaceae), a new endangered cloudforest shrub with neotropical affinities from Kounounkan, Guinea, W Africa." Willdenowia, 49(3), 351-360.
  9. ^ Yawo, K. (2019). "Contribution à la connaissance du commerce international de Pterocarpus erinaceus Poir (Fabaceae) au Togo, espèce végétale inscrite aux annexes de CITES (Master's thesis, Universidad Internacional de Andalucía)."
  10. ^ Cook, G. D. K. (1968). "The vegetation of the Kainji Reservoir site in Northern Nigeria." Vegetatio, 15(4), 225-243.
  11. ^ Gillet, H. (1963). "Végétation, Agriculture et Sol du Centre et Sud Tchad. Feuilles de Miltou, Dagela, Koumra, Moussafoyo." Journal d'agriculture traditionnelle et de botanique appliquée, 10(1), 53-160.
  12. ^ Gillet, H. (1958). "Rapport sur une mission scientifique dans l'Ennedi et au Mourdi (Nord-Tchad)." Journal d'agriculture traditionnelle et de botanique appliquée, 5(11), 768-782.
  13. ^ Aké-Assi, E., Kouassi, F. A., & N’Goran, B. K. S. "CONTRIBUTION À L’ÉTUDE DES PLANTES ORNEMENTALES SPONTANÉES À USAGE ALIMENTAIRE DU SUD DE LA CÔTE D’IVOIRE CONTRIBUTION TO THE STUDY OF SPONTANEOUS ORNAMENTAL PLANTS FOR FOOD USE IN THE SOUTH OF THE IVORY COAST."