Nymphaea subg. Lotos is a subgenus of the genus Nymphaea.
Description
Vegetative characteristics
The rhizomes are short, vertical, and tuberous. The pubescent leaves have a dentate crenate, or serrate margin.
Generative characteristics
The blue, white, cream, yellow, magenta, or pink, nocturnal or diurnal, emergent flowers extend up to 20 cm above the water surface. The stamens do not have sterile appendages at the apex.
Taxonomy
Publication
It was published as Nymphaea sect. Lotos DC. by Augustin Pyramus de Candolle in 1821. Later, it was elevated to the subgenus Nymphaea subgen. Lotos (DC.) Conard published by Henry Shoemaker Conard in 1905.
Type species
The type species is Nymphaea lotus L.
Species
Fossil record
Fossils from the upper Oligocene (28.4–23.0 million years ago) of France have been assigned to Nymphaea subg. Lotos. It is also known from the Rupelian (33.9 – 27.82 Ma) of Bad Häring, Austria.
Distribution
It is native to the paleotropis.
Ecology
Pollination
Beetle pollination by Ruteloryctes morio has been reported in Nymphaea subg. Lotos.
References
