Nuphaea

Nuphaea engelhardtii was a species of aquatic plant, which occurred in the Eocene period of Germany.

Vegetative characteristics
Nuphaea engelhardtii was an aquatic plant with petiolate, macrophyllous, simple, ovate leaves with an entire margin. The base of the lamina is cordate. The leaves have a prominent medial vein.

Publication
It was published by Carole T. Gee and David Winship Taylor in 2019.

Type specimen
The type specimen was collected by Hermann Engelhardt in the Messel Pit, Hessen, Germany.

Position within Nymphaeales
It is placed within the family Nymphaeaceae.

Etymology
The generic name Nuphaea reflects the intermediate position of the genus between the genera Nuphar and Nymphaea. The specific epithet engelhardtii honours the German paleobotanist Hermann Engelhardt (1839–1918).

Habitat
It grew at the edges of the Messel lake.