Nymphaea harleyi

Nymphaea harleyi is a species of waterlily endemic to Brazil.

Vegetative characteristics
Nymphaea harleyi is an aquatic herb with cylindrical tubers, which are not stoloniferous. The leaf blades float on the water surface. It is ovate and has an entire and flat margin. It has actinodromous leaf venation. The 9.3−15.2 cm long and 6.5−10 cm wide leaf blades are attached to 2−4 mm wide petioles with four major, two medium, and 8 minor peripheral air canals.

Generative characteristics
The nocturnal flowers float on the water surface. The flowers have peduncles with five primary central and ten secondary peripheral air canals. The gynoecium is syncarpous and consists of 27−35 carpels. The clavate appendix of the carpels have an obtuse to rounded apex.

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, R. Machado, A.M. Giulietti and R.M. Harley on 3 February 2012 in Tocantins, Brazil.

Placement within Nymphaea
It is placed in Nymphaea subgenus Hydrocallis.

Etymology
The specific epithet harleyi honours Prof. Dr. Raymond M. Harley of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.