Nymphaea conardii

Nymphaea conardii is a species of waterlily native to the region spanning from Southern Mexico to tropical South America.

Vegetative characteristics
Nymphaea conardii is an aquatic herb with ovoid, 4.5 cm wide rhizomes. The ovate-elliptical leaf blade is uniformly green, and it can reach up to 18 cm in length and 14 cm in width. The leaf venation is reticulate and dichotomous, with 9-15 primary veins. The leaf blade is attached to glabrous, max. 4 mm wide petioles with 2-4 primary and 4-6 secondary air canals.

Generative characteristics
The nocturnal flowers float on the water surface. The flowers have glabrous, non-brittle green peduncles with 5-6 primary, central air canals and 10-12 secondary, smaller, peripheral canals. The flowers have uniformly green, 3-6 cm long and 1-3 cm wide, oblong-ovate sepals with an slightly rounded or acute apex. The fruits are 1.5-1.7 cm long and 2.5-2.9 cm wide. The granulose, pilose, ellipsoid seeds have trichomes arranged in interrupted, longitudinal lines. The trichomes are 10–60 μm long.

Cytology
The diploid chromosome count is 2n = 28.

Vegetative reproduction
It is stoloniferous, but only in a brief period in which the tubers resume growth. Proliferating pseudanthia are absent.

Generative reproduction
Autogamy is possible, as the stigma retains its female function in the second day, when the pollen is released, thus enabling self-fertilization. The seed dispersal is hydrochorous (i.e. water-dispersed) or ornithochorous (i.e. bird-dispersed).

Publication
It was first described by Wiersema in 1984.

Type specimen
The type specimen was collected on the 29th of August 1981 by J.H. Wiersema and A. Gonzalez from a pond within in the Sosa Municipality of Barinas, Venezuela.

Placement within Nymphaea
It is placed in Nymphaea subgenus Hydrocallis. It is closely related to Nymphaea gardneriana, Nymphaea glandulifera, and Nymphaea jamesoniana.

Etymology
The specific epithet conardii honours the botanist Henry Shoemaker Conard (1874 - 1971).

Conservation
Nymphaea conardii is considered to be vulnerable (VU) in Cuba.

Habitat
It inhabits flooded savannas, shallow lagoons, and Morichales associated with still water (i.e. wetlands characterized by the presence of the moriche palm Mauritia flexuosa) at elevations of 0-200 m above sea level. It is also found in ponds and temporary ditches.

Pollination
It is pollinated by beetles.