Nymphaea nouchali var. ovalifolia

'Nymphaea nouchali'' var. ovalifolia' is a variety of the water lily species Nymphaea nouchali'' Burm.f. native to the region spanning from West Tanzania to South Africa.

Vegetative characteristics
Nymphaea nouchali var. ovalifolia has narrowly elliptic, 25 cm long, and 14.7 cm wide leaves. The adaxial leaf surface displays irregular brown patterns, and the abaxial leaf surface is plain green.

Generative characteristics
The deep blue flowers have acuminate sepals and petals. The sepals are 4 cm long, and 1.3 cm wide.

Publication
It was first described by Henry Shoemaker Conard as Nymphaea ovalifolia Conard in 1905. Later, it was included in the species Nymphaea nouchali Burm.f. as the variety Nymphaea nouchali var. ovalifolia (Conard) Verdc. published by Bernard Verdcourt in 1989.

Etymology
The varietal name ovalifolia, from the Latin ovali- meaning oval and -folia meaning leaf, means "oval leaved".

Role as host plant
Nymphaea nouchali var. ovalifolia is a host plant of the beetle species Donaciasta goeckei.