Nymphaea | |
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Nymphaea alba L., the type species of the genus[2] | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Order: | Nymphaeales |
Family: | Nymphaeaceae |
Genus: | Nymphaea L. |
Type species | |
Nymphaea alba L.[2] | |
Species | |
65 species, see text[1] | |
Synonyms[1] | |
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Nymphaea (/nɪmˈfiːə/) is a genus of hardy and tender aquatic plants in the family Nymphaeaceae. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution. Many species are cultivated as ornamental plants, and many cultivars have been bred. Some taxa occur as introduced species where they are not native,[3] and some are weeds.[4] Plants of the genus are known commonly as water lilies,[3][5] or waterlilies in the United Kingdom. The genus name is from the Greek νυμφαία, nymphaia and the Latin nymphaea, which means "water lily" and were inspired by the nymphs of Greek and Latin mythology.[3]