Nymphaea lukei

Nymphaea lukei is a species of waterlily endemic to Western Australia.

Vegetative characteristics
Nymphaea lukei is an annual or perennial aquatic plant with globose, 2-2.5 cm wide rhizomes. The elliptic, petiolate, 9.7–28 long, and 7.2–25 wide leaves have a sinuate margin.

Generative characteristics
The fragrant flowers extend up to 30 cm above the water surface. The green sepals with blue margins towards the acute apex are 3.5–6.5 cm long, and 0.5–2.5 cm wide. The 15-30 white to blue, lanceolate petals are 3–6 cm long, and 1.3–2 cm wide. The androecium consists of 75–250 yellow stamens. The gynoecium consists of 16–30 carpels. The globose, 1.5–3 cm long, and 1.5–2.5 cm wide fruit bears elongated, 2.1–2.5 mm long, and 1.8–1.9 mm wide seeds with 0.03–0.06 mm long trichomes, and verrucose projections.

Generative reproduction
Flowering occurs towards the end of the wet season, and continues within the dry season.

Publication
It was first described by Surrey Wilfrid Laurance Jacobs and Carl Barre Hellquist in 2011.

Type specimen
The type specimen was collected by S. Jacobs in Dampier, Western Australia on the 2nd of May 2008.

Placement within Nymphaea
It is placed in Nymphaea subgenus Confluentes.

Etymology
The specific epithet lukei is named after Luke Jaden Fussell, the grandson of Surrey Wilfrid Laurance Jacobs.

Habitat
It occurs in pools, creeks, and rivers.