Fauna
Plant

American White Waterlily

Nymphaea odorata

Also known as Fragrant White Water Lily

American white waterlily has round floating leaves split by a deep notch and fragrant white flowers centered in yellow. Long flexible stalks connect the surface growth to rhizomes anchored in soft sediment below.

Aquatic PlantFloating LeavesFragrant Flower
American White Waterlily reference1 / 7
"fragrant water lily" by USFWS Headquarters is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/. · cc-by
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Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyPhotosynthetic; anchored rhizomes absorb nutrients from saturated bottom sediment
Predators
  • Waterfowl
  • Aquatic beetles
  • Muskrats
ThreatsWetland drainage, polluted runoff, boat damage, altered water levels, and invasive aquatic plants
HabitatsShallow lakes, ponds, bog pools, slow rivers, marshy coves, and permanent quiet water
Life spanLong-lived perennial whose rhizome colonies can persist for many years
Classification
  1. OrderNymphaeales
  2. FamilyNymphaeaceae
  3. GenusNymphaea
  4. SpeciesNymphaea odorata
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Wild waterlilies can be misidentified; do not eat or ingest any part, and never dig up rooted plants.
Responsible observation
  • Leaf: Confirm a round floating blade with a deep V-shaped notch.
  • Flower: Notice many white petals surrounding a dense yellow center.
  • Safety: View from stable shore rather than wading among rooted plants.
Related species

Related species have not been added yet.

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Found in Collections

Ecosystem chain

Wetland Territory

American White Waterlily is found in this collection. Identify it in Fauna to fill this slot and continue your progress.

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