Nymphaea immutabilis is a species of waterlily native to Western Australia, the Northern Territory, and Queensland, Australia.[2]
| Nymphaea immutabilis | |
|---|---|
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| Flowering Nymphaea immutabilis in cultivation at the Berlin Botanical Garden and Botanical Museum | |
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| Flowering Nymphaea immutabilis in cultivation at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Order: | Nymphaeales |
| Family: | Nymphaeaceae |
| Genus: | Nymphaea |
| Species: | N. immutabilis |
| Binomial name | |
| Nymphaea immutabilis S.W.L.Jacobs[2] | |
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| Nymphaea immutabilis is native to Western Australia, the Northern Territory, and Queensland, Australia[2] | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
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Description
Vegetative characteristics
Nymphaea immutabilis is an annual or perennial plant with globose rhizomes.[3] The round, 70 cm wide leaves have dentate margins.[4][3]
Generative characteristics
The flowers extend up to 50 cm above the water surface.[4] The flowers have four sepals, and 34 petals. The androecium consists of 400 stamens. The gynoecium consists of 9-20 carpels.[3] The globose, 5 cm wide fruit bears numerous 4 mm long, and 2.5 mm wide, rounded seeds with trichomes arranged in irregular rows.[4] Immature seeds are red, but mature to brownish-grey seeds.[5] The seeds have a mechanism of physiological dormancy.[6]
Cytology
The chromosome count is n = 42. The genome size is 1408.32 Mb.[7]
Reproduction
Generative reproduction
Taxonomy
Publication
It was first described by Surrey Wilfrid Laurance Jacobs in 1992.[2]
Type specimen
The type specimen was collected by S. Jacobs and J. Clarkson near Mareeba, Queensland, Australia on the 26th of July 1987.[3]
Placement within Nymphaea
It is placed in Nymphaea subgenus Anecphya.[6]
Separation of Nymphaea kimberleyensis
The subspecies Nymphaea immutabilis subsp. kimberleyensis S.W.L.Jacobs was described in 1992. Later in 2011, it was elevated to a separate species Nymphaea kimberleyensis (S.W.L.Jacobs) S.W.L.Jacobs & Hellq.[8][9]
Etymology
The specific epithet immutabilis, meaning unchanging, references the floral colouration, which does not change as the flower ages.[3]
Conservation
The NCA status of Nymphaea immutabilis is Special Least Concern (SL).[1] In the Northern Territory it is categorised as vulnerable.[10][11]
Ecology
Habitat
It occurs in swamps,[6] permanent, or temporary waters,[3] billabongs, streams, and rivers.[5]