Nymphaea francae

Nymphaea francae is a species of waterlily endemic to Brazil.

Vegetative characteristics
Nymphaea francae is an aquatic herb. It has ovoid tubers, which are not stoloniferous. The floating leaves have 5–7.2 mm wide, greenish-brown, pubescent to glabrescent petioles with four primary central, and four secondary peripheral air canals. The leaf blade is ovate and has an entire, flat margin. It has actinodromous leaf venation.

Generative characteristics
The nocturnal flowers float on the water surface. They have a pubescent to glabrescent, non-brittle, greenish-brown peduncle with six central primary and twelve secondary peripheral air canals. The petals are white.

Vegetative reproduction
Both stolons and proliferating pseudanthia are absent.

Generative reproduction
Neither fruits nor seeds have been observed.

Taxonomy
It was first described by C.T.Lima and Ana Maria Giulietti in 2021.

Type specimen
The type specimen was collected by C.T. Lima and L. Lima in a lagoon on Bananal Island in the Tocantins, Brazil at a depth of 1−3 m. It is only known from the type material.

Placement within Nymphaea
It is placed in Nymphaea subgenus Hydrocallis.

Etymology
The specific epithet francae honours Prof. Dr. Flávio França of the State University of Feira de Santana, Brazil.

Habitat
It occurs in aquatic habitats of the central Brazilian Savanna.